"Fourth Dose Not Needed for Under 50... Better Vaccine Should Be Waited For," US CDC Expert Recommends

A woman is receiving a COVID-19 vaccine at a vaccination center in a hotel in Chicago, USA. / Photo by AFP Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Na Ye-eun] An expert panel from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) argued that most Americans under 50 do not need a fourth COVID-19 vaccination for prevention.

According to Bloomberg News on the 20th (local time), the CDC expert panel stated at a meeting held that day that the purpose of additional vaccinations (booster shots) should be limited to preventing severe illness rather than preventing virus infection.

The experts explained, "Those at high risk of severe illness if infected with COVID-19 should consider additional vaccinations, but most should wait for better vaccines to be available by the end of this year."

They cited the reason that the currently administered Moderna and Pfizer booster shots have limited effectiveness in preventing infection from new subvariants such as the highly contagious Stealth Omicron (BA.2).

Professor Sarah Long of Drexel University College of Medicine said, "We should not chase the rainbow expecting the current vaccines to prevent infection," adding, "There is no vaccine with effects beyond preventing severe illness or death."

This opinion aligns with recommendations from FDA experts earlier this month. Federal health authorities are consulting experts on how to establish a more sustainable vaccination strategy than the current practice of administering additional doses every few months.

According to CDC data, as of the 19th, about 3.2 million people aged 65 and older and about 1.1 million people aged 50 to 64 in the U.S. have received a second booster shot (fourth dose). The number of recipients decreases with each additional dose.

The CDC proposed considering limiting additional vaccination recipients to people with underlying conditions, those living with individuals at high risk of severe illness, and those at high occupational risk of COVID-19 exposure.

Lin Barta, a vaccine advisory committee member of the Minnesota Department of Health, said, "We need to think about how to make better vaccines," adding, "I hope efforts are not wasted on recommending vaccinations every two months or changing guidelines frequently."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.