West Virginia’s coronavirus czar is convinced the new updated COVID-19 boosters authorized by the Food and Drug Administration to target today’s most common, highly contagious omicron strain are safe and needed. The FDA is tweaking the recipe for shots made by Pfizer and rival Moderna hoping that the modified vaccines will take the edge off yet another winter surge. So far, vaccines given in the United States have targeted the original coronavirus. The new boosters are half an original recipe and half protection against the newest, more contagious omicron versions.
Dr. Clay Marsh, West Virginia’s coronavirus czar, said those eligible should get the booster as soon as they can and will program the new guidelines into the West Virginia COVID-19 due date calculator on the state Department of Health and Human Resources dashboard as soon as they are available.