Eric TopolAug 14, 2023
I learned today via FDA why and when the new Covid boosters will be ready
—The reason for the delay is that the Covid Public Health Emergency ended May 11, 2023, so it requires a Product Licensing Application (PLA) instead of an EUA
—Now projected to be available ~9/15
Show threadRDS (shawphd on Twitter)Aug 14, 2023
@erictopol Oh joy. Weeks after school starts and in the middle of a surge.
Show threadAnne DeschaineAug 14, 2023
@shawrd773 @erictopol And still entirely likely that it won't be available for anyone who isn't 65+ or at high risk. I'm starting to suspect my kid and I won't ever be eligible for another COVID vaccine until we get sick enough.
Show threadCassandrich
@aehdeschaine @shawrd773 @erictopol Huh? Do you have reasons to suspect that? Only groups previously excluded have been children of certain age ranges.
Aug 14, 2023 at 3:08amWeb
Show threadAnne DeschaineAug 14, 2023

@dalias @shawrd773 @erictopol Personally, it's partly/cynically because no one but those groups are currently eligible for anything past their first bivalent (and many of those were done a year ago and thus have waned).

But it's driven also by a discussion a couple of weeks ago about the strong possibility that the new booster will be limited to those groups. (I wish I could find it on here, but searching is difficult.)

Show threadCassandrichAug 14, 2023
@aehdeschaine @shawrd773 @erictopol You're always eligible for more boosters if you don't tell about your previous ones. 😈
Show threadDoctor HistorianessAug 14, 2023
@dalias @aehdeschaine @shawrd773 @erictopol you can tell about your previous boosters. Just tell the pharmacist that you and your doctor agree you need it. I got a second bivalent in May. It will be the same for XBB boosters and I’ve seen no indication that those will be age-limited. It will operate like the flu shot. Entirely voluntary.
Show threadSue SullivanAug 14, 2023

@dalias @aehdeschaine @shawrd773 @erictopol
I asked my (Colorado) Dr. last month about when boosters would be available, and she indicated it wasn't yet clear I would qualify (at 58). The UK is refusing to give boosters to under 65s.

It feels utterly outrageous that countries that can easily afford to vaccinate their populations are continuing to pursue a strategy of involuntary repeated mass infection instead.