CDC recommends 2nd COVID boosters for some older and immunocompromised people

CDC recommends 2nd COVID boosters for some older and immunocompromised people

　　Transcript¹

　　The Centers for Disease Control and prevention is now recommending that certain immunocompromised individuals and people over the age of 50 who received an initial Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech booster dose at least four months ago are now eligible² for another shot of either vaccine³.

　　The public health agency also said adults who received a primary vaccine and booster dose of Johnson & Johnson's Janssen COVID-19 vaccine at least four months ago may now receive a second booster dose of either the Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine.

　　The moves follow the Food and Drug Administration's authorization⁴ of the second booster doses earlier Tuesday.

　　"These updated recommendations acknowledge the increased risk of severe disease in certain populations including those who are elderly or over the age of 50 with multiple underlying⁵ conditions, along with the currently available data on vaccine and booster effectiveness," the agency said in a statement.

　　The recommendation comes as BA.2, an even more contagious⁶ version of the omicron variant⁷, continues to spread in the U.S., and concern mounts that it could fuel another surge. BA.2 is now the dominant⁸ strain in the U.S., making up 54.9% of cases, according to the CDC.

　　"Current evidence suggests some waning⁹ of protection over time against serious outcomes from COVID-19 in older and immunocompromised individuals. Based on an analysis of emerging data, a second booster dose of either the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine could help increase protection levels for these higher-risk individuals," said Peter Marks, M.D., Ph.D., director of the FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation¹⁰ and Research.

　　"Additionally, the data show that an initial booster dose is critical in helping¹¹ to protect all adults from the potentially severe outcomes of COVID-19. So, those who have not received their initial booster dose are strongly encouraged to do so," Marks said.

　　Dr. Eric Topol, founder¹² and director of the Scripps Research Translational Institute, supported the FDA's authorization, saying there are many people who are at least four to six months past their third shot.

　　"Without protection against the omicron variant, particularly now we're confronting BA.2, there's a very high risk of hospitalization and death," he said.

　　But others question the plan. The vaccines¹³ are still doing a good job of protecting people from getting seriously ill. Critics say there just isn't enough evidence yet that another shot is needed and that it would provide stronger protection that would last.

　　"From a scientific perspective, we still don't have definitive¹⁴ evidence that giving a second booster dose is the right way to go in older people," said Dr. Celine Gounder, an infectious disease specialist and a senior fellow and editor at Kaiser Health News.

　　She said data out of Israel shows an additional booster dose does reduce the risk of severe disease, hospitalization and death for people over the age of 60. But she pointed¹⁵ out it's unclear how long that extra protection actually lasts.

　　"I don't think it hurts," Dr. Carlos del Rio, an infectious disease researcher at Emory University told NPR. "But the reality is the benefit against infection will be short lived and thus likely of little benefit for most people." He also cited the Israeli data showing benefits for those 60 and older.

　　Administration officials said it's important to give people the option of a second booster as quickly as possible. The plan to offer it to people younger than 60 was made to ensure that more vulnerable people, particularly people of color who are more likely to suffer other health problems that put them at risk, also have the option of an additional booster.

　　But other infectious disease specialists said the administration should be focusing on getting people their primary doses and first boosters.

　　"What concerns me is that we are not investing in increasing the coverage¹⁶ of booster doses and even the primary doses," said Dr. Saad Omer, the director of the Yale Institute for Global Health. "These are the things that are not receiving enough attention."

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 eligible   

adj.有条件被选中的；(尤指婚姻等)合适(意)的

参考例句：

• He is an eligible young man.他是一个合格的年轻人。
• Helen married an eligible bachelor.海伦嫁给了一个中意的单身汉。

3 vaccine   

n.牛痘苗，疫苗；adj.牛痘的，疫苗的

参考例句：

• The polio vaccine has saved millions of lives.脊髓灰质炎疫苗挽救了数以百万计的生命。
• She takes a vaccine against influenza every fall.她每年秋季接种流感疫苗。

4 authorization   

n.授权，委任状

参考例句：

• Anglers are required to obtain prior authorization from the park keeper.垂钓者必须事先得到公园管理者的许可。
• You cannot take a day off without authorization.未经批准你不得休假。

5 underlying   

adj.在下面的，含蓄的，潜在的

参考例句：

• The underlying theme of the novel is very serious.小说隐含的主题是十分严肃的。
• This word has its underlying meaning.这个单词有它潜在的含义。

6 contagious   

adj.传染性的，有感染力的

参考例句：

• It's a highly contagious infection.这种病极易传染。
• He's got a contagious laugh.他的笑富有感染力。

7 variant   

adj.不同的，变异的；n.变体，异体

参考例句：

• We give professional suggestions according to variant tanning stages for each customer.我们针对每位顾客不同的日晒阶段，提供强度适合的晒黑建议。
• In a variant of this approach,the tests are data- driven.这个方法的一个变种，是数据驱动的测试。

8 dominant   

adj.支配的，统治的；占优势的；显性的；n.主因，要素，主要的人(或物)；显性基因

参考例句：

• The British were formerly dominant in India.英国人从前统治印度。
• She was a dominant figure in the French film industry.她在法国电影界是个举足轻重的人物。

9 waning   

adj.（月亮）渐亏的，逐渐减弱或变小的n.月亏v.衰落( wane的现在分词 )；（月）亏；变小；变暗淡

参考例句：

• Her enthusiasm for the whole idea was waning rapidly. 她对整个想法的热情迅速冷淡了下来。
• The day is waning and the road is ending. 日暮途穷。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

10 evaluation   

n.估价，评价；赋值

参考例句：

• I attempted an honest evaluation of my own life.我试图如实地评价我自己的一生。
• The new scheme is still under evaluation.新方案还在评估阶段。

11 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

12 Founder   

n.创始者，缔造者

参考例句：

• He was extolled as the founder of their Florentine school.他被称颂为佛罗伦萨画派的鼻祖。
• According to the old tradition,Romulus was the founder of Rome.按照古老的传说，罗穆卢斯是古罗马的建国者。

13 vaccines   

疫苗，痘苗( vaccine的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His team are at the forefront of scientific research into vaccines. 他的小组处于疫苗科研的最前沿。
• The vaccines were kept cool in refrigerators. 疫苗放在冰箱中冷藏。

14 definitive   

adj.确切的，权威性的；最后的，决定性的

参考例句：

• This book is the definitive guide to world cuisine.这本书是世界美食的权威指南。
• No one has come up with a definitive answer as to why this should be so.至于为什么该这样，还没有人给出明确的答复。

15 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

16 coverage   

n.报导，保险范围，保险额，范围，覆盖

参考例句：

• There's little coverage of foreign news in the newspaper.报纸上几乎没有国外新闻报道。
• This is an insurance policy with extensive coverage.这是一项承保范围广泛的保险。