Moderna’s vaccine gets full FDA approval

Plus: Justin Trudeau tested positive for Covid

The Food and Drug Administration granted full approval for Spikevax, Moderna’s Covid-19 vaccine, today for adults aged 18 and older. This marks the second Covid vaccine to get full FDA approval after Pfizer/BioNTech’s vaccine was approved last August. The vaccine has been available under Emergency Use Authorization since December 2020 and so far the company has shipped 807 million doses of its vaccine. “The public can be assured that Spikevax meets the FDA’s high standards for safety, effectiveness and manufacturing quality required of any vaccine approved for use in the United States,” acting FDA Commissioner Janet Woodcock said in a statement.

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More Covid News

Vaccine maker Novavax filed a request to the FDA to grant emergency use authorization to its Covid-19 vaccine, which relies on protein-based technology rather than newer mRNA vaccine technology, and has already been authorized by the World Health Organization and European regulators.

A growing number of destinations are factoring a booster shot into their existing vaccine mandates for travelers, and allowing those who have received a third shot to bypass some Covid-related protocols.

Researchers in Hong Kong are working on a new vaccine approach combining injected initial doses with boosters given intranasally with an eye to more durable protection from Covid. 

Musician Kid Rock says he won’t perform at any concert venues requiring vaccines or masks. 

Russian biathlete Valeria Vasnetsova and two other athletes announced Monday they would not participate in the Beijing Winter Olympics after testing positive for Covid-19, the latest in a string of athletes to pull out as the omicron variant surges—here’s the full list.

The airline industry lost an estimated $17.5 million in revenue a day over the 2-day snowstorm that blanketed the northeast U.S. - but the industry’s daily losses from Covid are higher. 

What Else We Are Reading

• Will Omicron end the pandemic? Here’s what experts say (Nature)

• States were sharing COVID test kits. Then omicron hit (Fierce Biotech)

• ‘Catch the virus’ promotion at Washington bar leads workers to quit, bands to cancel (Kansas City Star)