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U.S. health regulators are looking at potentially authorizing a fourth dose of a Covid-19 vaccine in the fall, according to people familiar with the matter. The planning is still in early stages, and authorization would depend on ongoing studies establishing that a fourth dose would shore up people’s molecular defenses that waned after their first booster and reduce their risk of symptomatic and severe disease, the people said. The Food and Drug Administration, however, has begun reviewing data so it can make a decision, the people said. (Armour and Hopkins, 2/19)

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) officials are "very carefully" considering second booster doses of the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, according to The Wall Street Journal. FDA spokesperson Alison Hunt confirmed to CNN that the FDA "is 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." (Breslin, 2/19)

As people across the world grapple with the prospect of living with the coronavirus for the foreseeable future, one question looms large: How soon before they need yet another shot? Not for many months, and perhaps not for years, according to a flurry of new studies. Three doses of a Covid vaccine — or even just two — are enough to protect most people from serious illness and death for a long time, the studies suggest. “We’re starting to see now diminishing returns on the number of additional doses,” said John Wherry, director of the Institute for immunology at the University of Pennsylvania. Although people over 65 or at high risk of illness may benefit from a fourth vaccine dose, it may be unnecessary for most people, he added. (Mandavilli, 2/21)

In response to growing concerns over vaccine inequity, the World Health Organization last June announced plans to create a technology transfer and manufacturing hub for vaccines using mRNA technology, starting with Covid-19 shots. The move reflected the difficulty in convincing vaccine makers to share their know-how, an issue that has deadlocked talks at the World Trade Organization over whether to waive intellectual property rights. Now, one of the companies involved in the hub, which is based in South Africa, is moving forward with its own vaccine candidate and the WHO has begun announcing other countries where “spokes” will be located for additional production. (Silverman, 2/22)