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T.World Health Organization (WHO) Recommended On May 18, the next COVID-19 vaccine should not contain the original SARS-CoV-2 virus (which is now in all existing vaccines), but instead the prevalent mutation. announced that another version of the virus that is better matched to the species should be included.
At the moment, this means a version of the XBB.1 family of viruses, currently responsible for most new cases of COVID-19 worldwide. The body that made this recommendation, the WHO Technical Advisory Group on Novel Coronavirus Vaccine Compositions, proposed that the XBB.1.5 variant be included in the next vaccine.
WHO also recommended that the latest vaccine should contain only the XBB variant and not multiple versions of the virus. This advice is not binding, but forms the basis for decisions made by national health authorities regarding vaccines. Some public health officials recommend that next doses contain at least two different strains of the virus, as this increases the chances of matching viruses that could cause future epidemics. These experts look to influenza as a model. Annual flu shots target four different strains of the virus to maximize the chances of protecting people from illness.
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In describing its recommendations, the WHO group noted that there were only minor differences between existing XBB variants, and that “other formulations and/or platforms that achieve strong neutralizing antibody responses against XBB progeny strains”. can be considered,” he said.
The recently inoculated novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the United States is a bivalent booster targeting the original version of SARS-CoV-2 and two omicron variants (BA.4 and BA.5) is. This vaccine and its predecessor continue to provide adequate protection against severe COVID-19 infections, hospitalizations and deaths, but the antibodies produced tend to wane after a few months, thus preventing infection. less effective. Updating COVID-19 vaccines is an important way to combat this loss of efficacy, but only if the strain in the vaccine matches relatively well with the strain causing infection. Limited to Targeting only one version of her of the virus makes this adjustment less likely.
The WHO recommendations are likely to be among the data that vaccine experts at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) consider when considering vaccination. meet in june To discuss which virus strains should be included in the next COVID-19 vaccine. The group recommends an annual COVID-19 vaccine for most people, and is moving toward recommending a booster shot for the elderly and those with weakened immune systems. At previous meetings, the FDA panel said it was important to consider WHO’s recommendations because harmonizing vaccine guidelines around the world would reduce confusion and increase the likelihood that people would be vaccinated. bottom.
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