US: CDC says all adults should get booster shots as Omicron fears grow

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Monday upgraded its recommendation on booster doses for COVID-19.

The CDC stated all adults in the US “should” get an additional vaccine dose as concern grew about the new Omicron variant.

Earlier in November, the CDC said everyone over 18 may get a booster dose if they desired, recommending it only for those over 50 or people living in long-term care settings.

CDC director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said in a statement, “Everyone ages 18 and older should get a booster shot either when they are 6 months after their initial Pfizer or Moderna series or 2 months after their initial J&J vaccine.”

Walensky was quoted by CNBC as saying, “Early data from South Africa suggest increased transmissibility of the Omicron variant, and scientists in the United States and around the world are urgently examining vaccine effectiveness related to this variant.”

US President Joe Biden warned on Monday the Omicron variant would reach the US eventually. Biden announced he was directing federal agencies “to be prepared to move as quickly as possible to approve additional vaccines or boosters tailored to shield against the new Omicron coronavirus variant,” CNBC reported.

Pfizer, Moderna differ on development time

Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla told CNBC the company had begun work on a vaccine targeting Omicron, which could be shipped in less than 100 days if necessary. “We have made multiple times clear that we would be able to have [this] vaccine in less than 100 days,” Bourla told CNBC.

Bourla declared he was confident Pfizer's treatment pill for COVID would be effective against Omicron. “The good news when it comes to our treatment, it was designed with that in mind, it was designed with the fact that most mutations are coming in the spikes... So that gives me very high level of confidence that the treatment will not be affected, our oral treatment will not be affected by this virus,” Bourla told CNBC.

Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel admitted it could take months to develop a vaccine that specifically targeted the Omicron variant of COVID.

Bancel noted a 100 microgram dose of the Moderna booster could be ready soon. “The higher dose could be done right away but it will be months before the Omicron-specific variant is ready to ship in massive quantities,” Bancel told CNBC.