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US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) officials said this week that they have been assessing the latest COVID-19 data, though it is too early to commit to a potential fourth dose of the vaccine for Americans.
FDA spokesperson Alison Hunt told CNN that they are “indeed continually looking at the emerging data on the pandemic and variants in the United States and overseas in order to evaluate the potential utility and composition of booster doses.”
Officials said that they are monitoring how the pandemic is evolving following the January surge of new COVID-19 infections, and that a potential fourth dose could be recommended by the fall.
The timeline would be in advance of the winter, when cases tend to spike during the holiday season as gatherings move indoors and families gather with friends to celebrate.
“As more data become available about the safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines, including the use of a booster dose, we will continue to evaluate the rapidly changing science and keep the public informed," Hunt said.
"Any determination that additional booster doses are needed will be based on data available to the agency.”
If the FDA authorizes a fourth COVID-19 vaccine for Americans, it would move to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to review the data and then make a recommendation on its use, just as it has on previous vaccine recommendations.
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