FDA approves updated covid vaccines, but with severe new limits
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Summary
On 27 August the FDA approved COVID vaccines from Pfizer, Moderna and Novavax for use by the over-65s, and only for people under that age with at least one underlying health condition deemed to place them at risk from COVID.
The Pfizer vaccine’s emergency use authorisation for the under-5s was also revoked.
At the same time, the FDA’s chief, Susan Monarez, was reportedly ousted from her position as head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, with lawyers for Monarez stating that she had not resigned or been fired, but would not do so.
The reporting and subsequent comments came after the government had already removed healthy pregnant people and children from recommended groups for vaccination.
The new FDA rulings could reportedly require millions of Americans to prove they are at risk in order to get vaccinated, creating further barriers to rollout.