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Updated COVID-19 Booster Information for Fall and Winter 2024–2025
The Florida Department of Health wants healthcare providers to stay informed about the latest COVID-19 vaccine updates and ensure patients understand the information they receive.
New Booster Update
On August 22, 2024, the FDA approved new versions of the COVID-19 mRNA vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna. These vaccines are approved for people aged 12 and up, and there’s emergency approval for kids aged six months to 11 years. The boosters target the Omicron variant, but this variant isn’t causing many infections right now.
Importantly, these boosters were approved without specific clinical trials done on humans. Also, they don’t protect against the current dominant COVID-19 strain, which makes up about 37% of cases in the U.S. Currently, we don’t have enough data to say if these boosters offer much protection. Usually, clinical trials are needed to prove that treatments work, but the government didn’t require the vaccine makers to show that these boosters prevent hospitalization or death from COVID-19.
Concerns About Booster Safety and Effectiveness
The government hasn’t provided enough information to prove the safety and effectiveness of these new boosters or addressed some known issues with COVID-19 vaccines, such as:
- Prolonged presence of mRNA and spike protein in some people.
- A higher risk of lower respiratory infections.
- A higher risk of autoimmune diseases.
Healthcare providers are encouraged to discuss these points with their patients regarding the COVID-19 mRNA vaccines and boosters.
Given the high level of immunity worldwide and the current data, the State Surgeon General advises against using mRNA COVID-19 vaccines. Providers concerned about the health risks for older patients or those with pre-existing conditions should focus on making non-mRNA COVID-19 vaccines and treatments available.
Key Safety and Effectiveness Issues with mRNA Vaccines
Providers and patients should be aware of the following issues with mRNA vaccines:
