FDA: New COVID Jabs Should Target XBB Variants

Facts

• On Monday, in documents released ahead of an upcoming meeting, staff reviewers from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) stated that COVID vaccines developed and manufactured for 2023-24 should target the currently dominant XBB variants.¹
• With the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee scheduled to convene Thursday, the FDA has recommended a focus on a monovalent shot targeting strains XBB.1.5, XBB.1.16, and XBB.2.3 of the Omicron subvariant.²
• The documents stated that, although immunity appeared to be "mitigating severe clinical outcomes" to COVID, there was no indication that the virus' evolution was "slowing down." They also revealed that the XBB subvariants accounted for over 95% of circulating US COVID as of early June.¹
• The news also follows a similar recommendation made by an advisory group to the WHO in May, with vaccine makers such as Pfizer/BioNtech, Moderna, and Novavax already in development.³
• While Pfizer and Moderna's bivalent boosters for the original COVID strain, as well as Omicron variants BA.4 and BA.5, have been accessible since September 2022, approximately 17% of the US population have received the updated vaccine according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).⁴
• Scientists have described the XBB variants as some of the most immune-evasive strains to date, and while cases of XBB.1.5 are declining, both XBB.1.16 and XBB.2.3 are on the rise. A date for launching the latest vaccination campaign hasn't been revealed.⁴

Sources: ¹Reuters, ²Seeking Alpha, ³Nasdaq, and ⁴CNBC.

Narratives

• Narrative A, as provided by Houston Chronicle. While the US has officially ended the public health emergency for COVID, the virus is still circulating and the XBB variants have become dominant. While the good news is that vaccines continue to prevent death and serious illnesses, it seems unlikely that we have seen the last of the pandemic. With stressors ranging from climate change and urbanization to animal migration, now is not the time to let our guard down on COVID or other deadly viruses.
• Narrative B, as provided by FOX News. There is a reason why most Americans are rejecting yet another booster shot being pumped out by big pharma. People around the world had their lives put on hold for nearly two years, had their businesses ruined, and saw loved ones pass without being able to say goodbye. Then they were extorted into getting an experimental vaccine to get their basic liberties back, only for it not to work as originally promised. The people aren't buying it anymore.

Predictions

What type of microorganism will cause the next pandemic?

Showing the aggregate of 52 community forecasts as of Jun 16, 2023.

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