Rob Stein appears in the following:
CDC recommends new booster shots to fight omicron
Thursday, September 01, 2022
CDC Director Rochelle Walensky has signed off on updated versions of the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines that target the original virus and the omicron subvariants.
FDA authorizes new boosters targeting omicron
Thursday, September 01, 2022
The FDA is authorizing new booster shots to protect people against another surge of omicron infections this fall and winter.
FDA authorizes omicron boosters
Wednesday, August 31, 2022
The Food and Drug Administration authorized the first updated COVID-19 vaccines since the pandemic began — boosters targeted at the omicron variant.
FDA authorizes first revamp of COVID vaccines to target omicron
Wednesday, August 31, 2022
The new shots from Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech target both the original strain of the coronavirus and the omicron BA.4/BA.5 subvariants that most people are catching now.
FDA expected to authorize new omicron-specific COVID boosters this week
Tuesday, August 30, 2022
The Food and Drug Administration is planning to authorize a new generation of COVID-19 boosters this week that for the first time will target the omicron variant.
What's behind the FDA's controversial strategy for evaluating new COVID boosters
Thursday, August 18, 2022
Some scientists are alarmed that the agency plans to evaluate the next generation of boosters by reviewing mouse studies alone. Others say there's no time to waste waiting for human trials.
The FDA is not expanding eligibility for 2nd COVID boosters
Thursday, August 04, 2022
The Food and Drug Administration's decision against allowing more people to get second boosters has left many younger adults in limbo and angry.
Summer boosters for people under 50 shelved in favor of updated boosters in the fall
Thursday, July 28, 2022
The Biden administration is scrapping plans to offer COVID boosters for people under 50 this summer. Instead officials will push for an earlier release of the next generation boosters in the fall.
Officials boost access to a drug that can protect the immunocompromised from COVID-19
Thursday, July 28, 2022
Evusheld, a course of injected antibodies, helps protect people with weak immune systems for up to six months. The government is making it available through pharmacies and individual providers.
Reformulated COVID vaccine boosters may be available earlier than expected
Tuesday, July 26, 2022
The Biden administration may scrap plans to expand eligibility for second boosters to younger adults. Instead, it's trying to speed up the next generation of boosters targeting the omicron variant.
New COVID strain is highly contagious but symptoms mild for the vaccinated
Saturday, July 23, 2022
President Biden's COVID infection underscores a new surge of the pandemic, with another highly contagious virus strain and a federal scramble to provide more boosters to try to protect people.
U.S. debates a summer booster for people under 50
Tuesday, July 19, 2022
The Biden administration is considering expanding eligibility for a second COVID-19 booster to those under 50 to try to protect more people against the latest omicron surge.
Fauci says he is not retiring yet and will make an announcement when the time comes
Monday, July 18, 2022
Dr. Anthony Fauci says he will step down before the end of President Biden's first term, but he has not chosen an exact date and is not sure what he will do after he leaves his position.
Experts question the FDA's COVID booster strategy ahead of autumn
Thursday, July 14, 2022
COVID vaccine makers are developing new boosters for a fall campaign. But some experts question the FDA's decision to tell companies to make shots against the BA.4/5 subvariants.
Answering listeners' questions about COVID vaccines for young children
Tuesday, July 05, 2022
With COVID vaccines rolling out for younger children, NPR health correspondent Rob Stein and pediatrician Dr. Nia Heard-Garris are answering listener questions.
FDA advisers recommend new COVID vaccines designed specifically to fend off omicron
Tuesday, June 28, 2022
FDA advisers recommended the agency authorize new COVID-19 vaccines targeted at omicron to protect people against what could be another winter surge.
The FDA considers the nation's next round of vaccines to battle COVID-19
Tuesday, June 28, 2022
The Food and Drug Administration is meeting on Tuesday to make an extremely difficult but important decision: Should vaccines be updated to target the omicron variant?
CDC OKs vaccinations for children 6 months to 5 years old
Saturday, June 18, 2022
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Rochelle Walensky has cleared the way for the roll out of vaccines for children five years and under as early as this coming week.
Omicron poses about half the risk of long COVID as delta, new research finds
Thursday, June 16, 2022
Some scientists estimate that cases of long COVID from omicron will still rise, however, because of high transmissibility and the misconception that people don't have to worry about catching it.
The FDA is reviewing COVID vaccines for children 5 and younger
Tuesday, June 14, 2022
Food and Drug Administration advisers are opening a two-day meeting to review Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccines for children, including the first vaccines for kids younger than age 5.