AS the FDA considers a new protocol for COVID-19 shots, Dr. Peter Hotez has some concerns.
Hotez supports the new way of administering vaccines, but cautions against thinking that the plan is not without its risks.The Food and Drug Administration is considering a shift to a new way of administering the COVID-19 vaccine that is akin to receiving the flu shot.
Exceptions would be made for the immunocompromised and older populations who would receive two doses of this vaccine for extra protection, said Dr. Peter Hotez Co-Director of the Center for Vaccine Development at Texas Children’s Hospital and Dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine.
Because influenza is a seasonal virus, annual vaccines that are updated at the cusp of a new season tend to protect against the virus. However, with COVID-19, the virus is not seasonal and often unpredictable, said Hotez. “I think part of this choice is being driven by a compromise with the fact that the federal funding may not be there to give mRNA vaccines on a more frequent basis or to do the detailed level of surveillance that's required,” Hotez said. “The shortage of funds may be dictating some of the policy decisions.”
Though this plan is a major portion of what will be discussed in the meeting, Hotez said it may be too soon to expect any clarity about the new vaccine from Thursday’s meeting.
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