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U.S. NEWS Wednesday 23 november 2022
U.S. renews push for COVID boosters as data show they protect

By LAURAN NEERGAARD strongly urged older adults
AP Medical Writer and others at high risk not
Americans who got the up- to skip the new booster.
dated COVID-19 booster To that end, the Biden ad-
shots are better protected ministration announced a
against symptomatic in- six-week campaign urging
fection than those who people especially seniors
haven’t at least for now, to get the boosters, saying
U.S. health officials said the shots could save lives
Tuesday. as Americans gather for
Updated boosters rolled the holidays.
out by Pfizer and rival The campaign echoes a
Moderna in September call earlier this week from
have been a hard sell for the American Medical As-
vaccine-weary Ameri- sociation and nearly a
cans. Only about 13% of dozen other health groups
U.S. adults so far have got- for people to hurry up and
ten a “bivalent” shot that get both the COVID-19
targets the omicron strain booster and their yearly flu
and the original corona- vaccination. The flu has hit
virus. On Tuesday, White unusually strong and early
House officials announced Dr. Anthony Fauci, Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, speaks this year. Combined with
a renewed push for more during a press briefing at the White House, Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2022, in Washington. COVID-19 cases and other
Associated Press
Americans to get the lat- problematic respiratory vi-
est shots. The first look at Gelles, who led the study. Even protection against when BA.5 surged, the rea- ruses, hospitals and doc-
the new shots’ real-world But even people who got severe illness slipped some son health authorities have tors’ offices are packed.q
effectiveness shows they a summertime booster of
work, said Dr. Anthony Fau- the original vaccine before
ci, the nation’s top infec- seeking the new fall formu-
tious disease expert. la were 30% to 40% more
Speaking at a White House protected than if they’d
briefing expected to be his skipped this latest shot,
last before he retires from she said. “We think about
the government at the end it as the additional ben-
of year, Fauci said what efit or incremental benefit
“may be the final message of getting one more dose,
I give you from this podi- and in this case that one
um is that please, for your more dose is a bivalent,”
own safety, for that of your Link-Gelles said. The up-
family, get your updated dated boosters target the
COVID-19 shot as soon as BA.5 omicron strain that
you’re eligible.” until recently was the most
The Centers for Disease common type, an effort to
Control and Prevention an- build on the original CO-
alyzed about 360,000 CO- VID-19 vaccines’ protec-
VID-19 tests given to peo- tion as the virus continues
ple with coronavirus-like to mutate. The original
symptoms at drugstores shots have offered strong
around the country be- protection against severe
tween September, when disease and death no
the new boosters rolled matter the variant, but pro-
out, and early November. tection against mild infec-
Researchers compared tion wanes. CDC’s analysis
the vaccination status of tracked only the first few
those who wound up hav- months of the new boost-
ing COVID-19 with those ers’ use so it’s too early to
who didn’t. know how long added
The new omicron-targeting protection against symp-
booster added 30% to 56% tomatic infection lasts.
protection against symp- But “certainly as we enter
tomatic infection, depend- the holiday season, per-
ing on how many prior vac- sonally I would want the
cinations someone had, most possible protection if
how long ago and their I’m seeing my parents and
age, the CDC concluded. grandparents,” Link-Gelles
People getting the great- said. “Protection against
est benefit are those who’d infection there is going to
never had a prior booster, be really helpful, because
just two doses of the origi- you potentially would
nal COVID-19 vaccine at stop yourself from getting
least eight months earlier, a grandparent or other
said CDC’s Dr. Ruth Link- loved one sick.”