Although the coronavirus epidemic has still not lost its effect, all measures have been lifted both in our country and in the world. However, cases of Covid-19 continue to increase. In this sense, the US Federal Drug and Food Administration requested an update for the FDA, Moderna and BioNTech/Prifizer coronavirus vaccines.
US request for additional doses for coronavirus vaccines
Although the coronavirus epidemic has lost its effect thanks to vaccines, the inadequacy of vaccination all over the world still causes the spread of the disease. In the US, the FDA asked pharmaceutical companies such as Pfizer and Moderna to update the two coronavirus vaccines used in the country.
Accordingly, current Covid-19 vaccines are structured to target the Omnicron variant BA.1. However, the Omnicron BA.4 and BA.5 variants are active in the USA and many parts of the world. The FDA has requested that the BioNTech/Prfizer and Moderna vaccines be updated for these versions.
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TUA (Turkish Space Agency) and ESEN Sistem have established a long-term partnership with the world-famous US space company Sierra Space.
BioNTech and Moderna also published data on the high immunity of coronavirus vaccines for the Omnicron BA.1 version. In this sense, two companies previously strengthened the vaccine for the Omnicron BA.1 variant and produced additional doses. The FDA recommended that the Spike proteins, which form the basis of vaccines, be remanufactured to accommodate these versions. Here again, companies will try to prevent the disease with a very additional dose instead of a new dose.
Currently, 52 percent of cases in the USA are caused by the BA.4 and BA.5 variants. From next week, this figure is expected to increase exponentially.
It is unclear when vaccine companies will make new enhanced vaccines available against these new versions. The FDA, on the other hand, is of the opinion that new versions of the vaccines should be ready in the fall.
In Turkey, the number of cases in the weekly coronavirus table increased up to 26 thousand. Last week, that figure was around 10,000. WHO, on the other hand, announced that the pandemic is not over yet after the increasing number of cases in many countries.
In our country, the Ministry of Health does not share data on which variant is effective. However, the estimations are that the Omnicron BA.4 and BA.5 variants have started to increase in Turkey. It is a matter of curiosity whether the measures will come again in Turkey and in the world after the number of coronavirus cases doubling this week. In this sense, even if the measures do not come back, we may be faced with a new additional dose application for coronavirus vaccines.