As COVID-19 continues to evolve, the Food and Drug Administration is proposing plans to roll out an updated vaccine every year going forward.
The agency is suggesting experts select a specific strain of the virus each spring and introduce the vaccine to the market by September — similar to annual flu shots.
The FDA will also recommend that most people get just a single yearly jab, though older adults, immunocompromised people, and very young children may still need two doses.
The agency will request input from a panel of vaccine experts on Thursday, but the plan aligns with the recommendations the Biden administration announced last year. In September, Rochelle Walensky, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said that annual shots could save thousands of lives.
"Modeling projections show that an uptake of updated COVID-19 vaccine doses similar to an annual flu vaccine coverage early this fall could prevent as many as 100,000 hospitalizations, 9,000 deaths, and save billions of dollars in direct medical costs," she said.
However, reception to booster shots has been cool. Though four out of five Americans have received at least one dose, only 16 percent of those eligible have gotten the latest booster, which was released in August.
So far, there have been more than 100 million confirmed cases and greater than one million COVID-19-related deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University.
Energy Vault, the company developing sustainable, grid-scale energy storage solutions, is now trading on the New York Stock Exchange following the completion of its business combination with Novus Capital Corporation II. Energy Vault develops sustainable, grid-scale energy storage solutions designed to advance the transition to a carbon free, resilient power grid. Robert Piconi, co-founder and CEO of Energy Vault, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to disucss.
In an effort to fight climate change several corporations have vowed to work to fight climate change by 2030. They say the goal is to reduce carbon emissions by 40% or even close to 100%. However, according to a new study, many of these companies are not actually practicing what they preach. Tom Egger, senior lecturer at Emeritus at the University of Wisconsin, joins Cheddar News to discuss more.
At-home medical labs company Getlabs raised $20 million in a Series A round, led by Emerson Collective and the Minderoo Foundation. Getlabs aims to be the boots-on-the-ground partner to telehealth. The company says more than 70% of medical decisions still require collecting diagnostic tests in person, and that it fills that void by delivering health care directly to their patients' homes. Founder & CEO of Getlabs Kyle Michelson joined Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Kalle Marsal, Chief Operating Officer at PetDx, joins Cheddar Innovates to discuss how next-generation sequencing technology is being used to detect cancer in pets early.
On this episode of Cheddar Innovates: WALDO CEO breaks down why now is a good time to make eyecare a priority, and how they are democratizing access to eyecare for all; COO at PetDx explains how next-generation sequencing technology is being used to detect cancer in pets early; Cheddar gets a look at Curiosity Stream's 'Inside The Mind of a Con Artist.'
Shares of Canadian cannabis giant Canopy Growth surged after the company reported Q3 earnings Wednesday morning, with shares up more than 15 percent at the close of the day's trading session. Despite net revenue declining year-over-year, Canopy beat analyst expectations and has ramped up efforts to develop a "THC ecosystem' in the U.S. Canopy Growth's CEO, David Klein, joined Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss the report. He noted that its brands Storz & Bickel vaporizers and BioSteel beverages showed record growth.
The Central Park Conservancy announced last month it has partnered with the Yale School of the Environment and the New York City-based Natural Areas Conservancy to study the on-the-ground impacts of climate change on urban parks. Salmaan Khan, Director of Research and Special Projects at the Central Park Conservancy joins Cheddar Climate to explain what factors put this initiative into motion and what data his team will be looking to uncover.
Energy Impact Partners is a VC firm committed to helping the world move toward a more sustainable future. The tech-focused fund aims to reach $350 million for its Deep Decarbonization Frontier Fund,' which aims to support early-stage companies working on innovative solutions. Energy Impact Partners' Managing Director Andy Lubershane joined Cheddar Climate to discuss.
Mukul Bakhshi, Chief of Strategy and Government Affairs for CGFNS International, joins Cheddar News to discuss strained U.S. hospitals seeking foreign nurses.
The Democratic governors of New Jersey, Connecticut, Delaware, and Oregon say they will lift mask requirements for schools in the coming weeks, reflecting a nationwide shift away from restrictions. Cheddar News speaks with internist Dr. Vivek Cherian whether it's safe to relax the regulation.
