COVID-19 Vaccine News
- White House to End COVID Vaccine Mandate for Federal Workers
May 2, 2023 — The U.S. government will no longer require federal workers or international air travelers to be vaccinated for COVID-19, the Biden administration announced Monday.
- Long COVID Patients Respond Differently to COVID Vaccines
April 27, 2023 — A new study shows that people with long COVID respond differently to COVID vaccines, and that the condition may be caused by a dysfunction of the immune system.
- FDA to OK Second COVID Booster for People 65 and Older
April 4, 2023 — People ages 65 and older and those with a weak immune system may choose to get a second COVID-19 booster shot starting later this spring, according to a new report.
- Negative Expectations of COVID Shots May Amplify Side Effects
March 29, 2023 — People who had low hopes from a COVID-19 vaccine reported more negative side effects from the shots in a study released this week.
- Single Bivalent COVID Booster Is Enough for Now: CDC
March 29, 2023 — The CDC has updated its COVID-19 booster shot guidelines to clarify that only a single dose of the latest bivalent booster is recommended at this time.
- FDA Approval of Second COVID Booster May Be Near, Report Says
March 21, 2023 — The FDA might be preparing to OK a second round of COVID-19 booster shots that target the original virus as well as the Omicron variant to protect people over 65 and others who are particularly vulnerable.
- Future COVID Vaccines Must Be Better; Science Races to Respond
March 15, 2023 — COVID vaccines must work even better, whether by becoming variant-proof, finding other administration routes, or finding different targets to attack. All of these issues – and more -- are under investigation.
- Vaccination Reduces Post-COVID Heart Attack, Stroke Risk
February 23, 2023 — In the largest and most diverse analysis to date, researchers have found that the risk of post-COVID heart attack or stroke was reduced by 41% in people who are fully vaccinated.
- Pfizer COVID Vaccine Effective In Young Children, Study Shows
February 18, 2023 — A new study shows the Pfizer vaccine is safe and highly effective against COVID-19 in children as young as 6 months old.
- COVID Infection Provides Immunity Equal to Vaccination: Study
February 17, 2023 — The natural immunity provided by COVID-19 infection protects a person against severe illness on a par with two doses of mRNA vaccine, a study published in The Lancet says.
- Moderna Pledges No Out-of-Pocket Costs for COVID Vaccines
February 16, 2023 — Moderna will join Pfizer in making its COVID-19 vaccine available for free once government coverage ends later this year, the company announced Wednesday.
- Vaccination Could Reduce Risk of Long COVID, Study Shows
February 15, 2023 — A study focusing on fatigue and other long COVID symptoms saw some differences in severity of symptoms based on COVID variants, but these differences became insignificant when researchers accounted for vaccination status. The lead researcher says this discovery suggests that vaccinations may lower the risk of long COVID.
- COVID Vaccination Reduces Risk of Type 2 Diabetes After Infection
February 14, 2023 — Vaccination appears to reduce the heightened risk of developing type 2 diabetes after a COVID-19 infection, according to a new study published in JAMA Network Open.
- Updated Booster Dramatically Reduces Risk of COVID Death: Study
February 13, 2023 — A new CDC study shows that people who got the updated bivalent COVID-19 booster by the end of last year were 14 times less likely to die from the disease than people who were never vaccinated, and three times less likely to die from the disease than those who got only the original vaccines.
- The Truth Behind Viral Videos Linking COVID Vaccine to Spasms, Shakes
February 7, 2023 — Vaccine hesitation is once again flying as videos depicting movement disorders go viral.
- California Drops School Vaccination Requirements
February 4, 2023 — California says it will no longer require schoolchildren to be vaccinated in order to attend in-person classes.
- Bivalent Booster Helps Prevent Symptoms from XBB.1.5: Study
January 26, 2023 — New data for the bivalent COVID-19 booster shot shows that it cuts the risk in half for symptomatic infection from the now predominant Omicron subvariant, XBB.1.5.
- FDA Panel Backs Shift Toward One-Dose COVID Shot
January 26, 2023 — The FDA's vaccine advisers lent support to the agency's plan to try to simplify future COVID shots, with an aim of having many people get just one uniform dose in the fall.
- The FDA Wants an Annual COVID Vaccine: What You Need to Know
January 24, 2023 — A national advisory committee is expected to vote Thursday on whether Americans should pivot to an annual COVID-19 shot (like a flu shot) vs. periodic booster shots. WebMD asks health experts your most pressing questions about a possible switch to a yearly shot.
- FDA Wants Annual COVID Boosters, Just Like Annual Flu Shots
January 23, 2023 — – U.S. health officials want to simplify the recommended COVID-19 vaccine protocol, making it more like the process for annual flu shots with a single annual shot.
- Combo of Previous COVID-19 Infection and Vaccination Gives Best Protection
January 19, 2023 — People who have been infected with COVID-19 and vaccinated against it are more likely to avoid serious illness than those who were only previously infected, a new study says.
- Is It Time for Yet Another COVID Booster? It's Complicated
January 17, 2023 — As more research arrives on the bivalent vaccine, an FDA expert panel prepares to discuss future plans.
- COVID Vaccine Acceptance Sees Dramatic Increase in U.S.: Survey
January 10, 2023 — Acceptance of COVID-19 vaccines increased 20% in the past year in the U.S., with 8 in 10 people now saying they have been vaccinated or are willing to do so, according to a new global survey.
- Asian Children Most Likely to be COVID Vaccinated
January 6, 2023 — A new report shows wide racial and ethnic differences in COVID-19 vaccination of children, with Asian children being the most likely to be vaccinated and Black children being the least likely.
- COVID Booster Rate Lagging in Nursing Homes
December 16, 2022 — The federal government wants to get more bivalent booster shots into the arms of high-risk nursing home residents as part of a winter preparedness program announced this week.
- COVID Vaccines Saved More Than 3 Million U.S. Lives Since 2020
December 13, 2022 — The shots also prevented an estimated 18.5 million hospitalizations and $1.15 trillion in health care costs from December 2020 through November 2022, a report says.
- FDA OKs Bivalent COVID Shots for Children 6 Months and Older
December 8, 2022 — The FDA on Thursday authorized bivalent COVID-19 vaccines for children as young as 6 months old who previously received the Moderna vaccine or who have not yet completed their primary Pfizer vaccine series.
- Vaccines Are Effective Against Long COVID: Study
December 7, 2022 — Getting at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine decreases the chances of having symptoms beyond 3 weeks or developing long COVID, a new analysis shows.
- Pfizer Seeks Authorization for Bivalent Booster for Kids Under 5
December 5, 2022 — Pfizer and its partner BioNTech applied Monday to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for emergency use authorization for a bivalent COVID-19 booster for children 6 months to 4 years old.
- Fauci Urges Americans 'One Last Time' to Get COVID Shots
November 22, 2022 — Anthony Fauci, MD, stood at the White House press briefing podium “one last time” as he bid farewell to reporters on Tuesday ahead of stepping down as director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases next month.
- Pfizer: Bivalent Booster Protects Against BQ.1.1 Subvariant
November 21, 2022 — Pfizer says its updated booster, which was designed to target Omicron BA.4 and BA.5, also protects against surging Omicron subvariants like BQ.1.1 and BQ.1.Bivalent boosters contains two strains of vaccine – one to protect against the original COVID-19 virus and another targeting Omicron subvariants.
- Bivalent Boosters Are Better Against Recent COVID Strains: Pfizer
November 7, 2022 — If you're among the 92% or so of Americans yet to get a bivalent COVID-19 booster, here's some news to consider. The Pfizer/BioNTech updated vaccine triggers a stronger immune response than a fourth dose of their original vaccine, the company says.
- Side Effects From COVID Vaccine Show Its Effectiveness
October 25, 2022 — People with side effects from their COVID vaccinations -- Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna -- tend have a better antibody response from the shots, according to new research.
- Biden’s Tuesday Agenda: Get Updated COVID-19 Booster
October 24, 2022 — Biden, who is 1 month away from turning 80 years old, is among the age group that health officials are most hoping to persuade to boost up against COVID-19 before an anticipated uptick in cases later this year.
- White House Urges People over 50 to Get Boosters Right Away
October 18, 2022 — Adults over 50, and particularly those over 65, should get omicron booster shots right away, the head of the White House COVID-19 task force said this week.
- Get COVID Boosters by Halloween, White House Advises
October 12, 2022 — Americans should get COVID-19 booster shots by Halloween to prepare the country best for the upcoming holiday season, the White House said this week.
- COVID Vaccine Linked to Temporary Change in Menstrual Cycle: Study
September 28, 2022 — Some people who have received a COVID-19 vaccine have reported a temporary change in their menstrual cycles, according to a new study published in BMJ Medicine.
- Moderna, Pfizer Seek Authorization for Children’s Boosters
September 26, 2022 — Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna, the two biggest COVID vaccine makers for the United States, are both seeking emergency authorization from the FDA for bivalent vaccine boosters for children.
- Under 2% of Eligible Have Gotten Newest Booster Shot
September 24, 2022 — Under 2% of the Americans who are eligible to get the newest booster shot have not done so.
- Double Vaccinations Before an Infection Reduce Long COVID
September 13, 2022 — People infected with COVID-19 after getting doubly vaccinated are associated with a 41 percent lower chance of developing long COVID symptoms, according to new study published in Britain.
- FAQ: New COVID Omicron Boosters
September 12, 2022 — New COVID boosters that target the fast-spreading Omicron strains of the virus are rolling out this week, with the CDC recommending these so-called bivalent mRNA shots for Americans 12 and older. Here's what to know.
- The Potential Problem(s) With a Once-a-Year COVID Vaccine
September 12, 2022 — Critics say COVID isn't seasonal like the flu, the virus can change rapidly, and vaccine immunity wanes. The White House suggests the updated vaccine makes an annual strategy viable.
- China, India Approve Nasal COVID Vaccines
September 7, 2022 — China and India have approved COVID-19 vaccines that can be given through the nose or mouth, which scientists hope will be a “game changer” for the pandemic.
- COVID Shots Moving Closer to Annual Vaccines for Most: White House
September 6, 2022 — Barring any “pandemic curveballs,” the newly authorized combination vaccines against COVID-19 will move most eligible Americans closer to just getting a COVID-19 shot once a year -- like routine flu vaccinations -- White House and other public health officials said on Tuesday.
- CDC Gives Final Approval to Omicron COVID-19 Vaccine Boosters
September 1, 2022 — CDC advisors somewhat reluctantly voted in support of new bivalent versions of COVID-19 vaccines despite a lack of clinical trial data, CDC director follows suit.
- COVID Omicron Boosters About to Arrive, With Some Controversy
August 31, 2022 — Updated COVID vaccines are expected to be available by Labor Day, but public health experts have mixed feelings, with some citing lack of human data and others saying the need is urgent.
- FDA Authorizes Updated COVID Boosters to Target Newest Variants
August 31, 2022 — The FDA on Wednesday granted emergency use authorization to Omicron-specific COVID-19 vaccines made by Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna.
- No Link Between COVID Vaccination and Preterm Birth or Stillbirth
August 30, 2022 — Getting a COVID-19 vaccine during pregnancy doesn’t increase the risk of complications, such as a preterm birth or stillbirth, according to a new study published in BMJ.
- COVID Experience Could Affect Fall Booster Immunity
August 24, 2022 — Americans could have different immune responses to the latest COVID-19 vaccines this fall based on how they first experienced the coronavirus.