PFIZER

The newest medical innovation to fight COVID-19 is here, but people are hardly racing to get it this time around. The Pfizer and Moderna bivalent booster shots have been available in Michigan since early September. The vaccine includes mRNA components of the original COVID-19 strain (like the initial vaccines) plus components of the omicron BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants to help fight the latest strains of the virus.

A change in menstrual cycle length of eight days or less is considered within the normal range of variation, according to NIH.

Americans have two options for getting a new omicron-specific Covid booster shot: Pfizer or Moderna. Which one should you get? Here's what experts say.

FDA vaccine chief Dr. Peter Marks said last week he expected a decision on boosters for that age group soon.

Pfizer's application to the FDA comes before clinical trial results of the omicron BA.5 booster shots have been published.

Pfizer asked U.S. regulators Monday to expand use of its updated COVID-19 booster shot to children ages 5 to 11. FDA vaccine chief Dr. Peter Marks said last week he expected a decision on boosters for that age group soon. Pfizer and its partner BioNTech also announced a new study of the omicron-focused booster in even younger children, those ages 6 months through 4 years, to test different doses. Updated boosters made by both Pfizer and rival Moderna rolled out earlier this month for everyone 12 and older. As of last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said 4.4 million Americans had gotten an updated booster so far.

Pfizer is asking the Food and Drug Administration to expand use of its updated COVID-19 booster shot to children ages 5 to 11.

Moderna has asked the FDA to authorize omicron boosters for adolescents ages 12 to 17-years-old and for kids ages 6 to 11-years-old.

Pfizer is looking to hire more than 200 workers, including some who will be eligible to receive a $4,000 sign-on bonus. The pharmaceutical and biotech company is hosting a career fair Monday, Sept. 26, at the Radisson Plaza Hotel at 100 W. Michigan Ave. in downtown Kalamazoo. Workers eligible for the sign-on bonus would be those taking jobs in “front-line production positions.” The company also offers relocation support. The positions including various experience levels and shifts. They can register upon arrival, apply and interview Monday during the career fair.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration's vaccine chief says new omicron-specific Covid boosters for children ages 5 to 11 are "only a matter of weeks away."

Israel has started administering doses of the new COVID-19 vaccine tailored to fight the highly infectious omicron variant.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention predicts coronavirus vaccine boosters will become available to kids, 5 to 11, starting early-to-mid-October.

Reconfigured shots are safe, but had been delayed amid inspection of an Indiana packaging plant last month.

Pfizer’s bivalent COVID vaccine is available for people ages 12 and older as a single-dose administered at least two months after a previous COVID vaccine. Advisors for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will then evaluate i before considering a recommendation to use bivalent COVID vaccines in younger children. As of Wednesday, Sept. 14, about 6.2% of children younger than 5 had gotten their first dose of COVID vaccine. Where can I get the bivalent booster? Local and federal health officials say it’s safe and effective to get vaccines against COVID and influenza during the same appointment.

The European Medicines Agency has recommended the authorization of a tweaked booster dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine that includes protection against two of the latest versions of omicron, as countries look to bolster their immunization programs ahead of winter.

The updated COVID-19 boosters are now available throughout Washtenaw County.

File photoAfter the federal government’s approval, the state now has “bivalent” booster shots available that target Omicron variant of COVID-19, Michigan’s health officials said Wednesday. The Moderna and Pfizer bivalent boosters target two strains of COVID-19: the original strain of the virus and the most widely-spread Omicron variants (BA.4 and BA.5). Michiganders can begin getting the bivalent vaccines as they become available, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) said. “The bivalent booster will help fight the Omicron subvariants, including BA.4 and 5. Influenza vaccines, which are now available in Michigan, can also be co-administered with the COVID-19 bivalent booster doses.

The next generation of COVID-19 vaccines are now available in Michigan. Bivalent booster shots developed by Pfizer and Moderna to target the omicron variant of coronavirus are available at a number of pharmacies throughout the state, according to the federal vaccine finder. Among the pharmacies reporting bivalent boosters in stock and available via appointment are Walgreens, Rite Aid, CVS and Costco. “The bivalent booster will help fight the omicron subvariants, including BA.4 and 5. The new shots are authorized for use as a single booster dose, administered at least two months after a previous COVID vaccine.

Michigan health officials are planning to begin the rollout of newly updated COVID-19 booster shots this week.

Dr. Ashish Jha, the White House Covid response coordinator, said the new omicron boosters mark a milestone in the fight against Covid.

Newly updated Covid vaccine booster shots designed to target omicron's BA.5 subvariant are finally here. Here's how — and where — you can find them.

PORTAGE, MI — Pfizer, the largest industrial groundwater user in Michigan, is asking state regulators to approve a big increase in the amount of water it sources from wells at its pharmaceutical manufacturing facility near Kalamazoo. In 2020, Pfizer used 6.04 billion gallons of groundwater, making it the largest industrial process groundwater user in Michigan. The St. Marys cement plant in Charlevoix used 4.7 billion groundwater gallons in 2020. Pfizer’s wells would pull from about 175 feet deep. Related stories:Pfizer plans $120M expansion in KalamazooModerna claims Pfizer copied its mRNA techPfizer seeks approval of omicron-targeted boosterBiden tours Pfizer facility as vaccines roll outNestle water owners return Michigan permit

Top health officials believe the shots will provide more durable protection against Covid, but acknowledge it's not yet clear just how effective they will be.

The new shots are rolling out to pharmacies and other vaccination sites around the country.

Omicron-specific Covid boosters were cleared by the CDC yesterday. And the shots could be available as early as this weekend or next week — here's what to know.

New COVID-19 boosters targeting today’s most common omicron strains should begin arriving within days.

The University of Pennsylvania immunologist knows it's too soon after his shot late this summer, especially since he's not at high risk from the virus. It’s the kind of calculation many Americans will face as booster shots that target currently circulating omicron strains become available to a population with widely varying risks and levels of immunity. HOW ARE THE NEW BOOSTERS DIFFERENT?

The CDC's vaccine advisors meet to consider new COVID-19 shots that are designed to target the BA.5 Omicron strain.

Vaccinations are expected to start next week after CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky signs off.

Pfizer has excluded Asian and white applicants in its new “Breakthrough Fellowship Program,” a nine-year commitment that aims to boost minority representation in its workforce. Available to undergraduate students in their junior year, the program will offer an initial 10-week summer internship, two years of full-time employment after undergraduate graduation, a fully paid two-year MBA, MPH or MS Statistics program, another summer internship between the first and second years of the chosen master’s program, and finally, employment with Pfizer after graduation. Aside from obtaining their undergraduate degree in December 2023 or Spring 2024, applicants must be U.S. citizens or U.S. permanent residents, have a GPA of at least 3.0, demonstrate exceptional leadership potential and have a committed interest in pursuing an MBA, MPH or MS Statistics program.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has endorsed updated COIVD-19 boosters.

The European Medicines Agency has recommended the authorization of two coronavirus vaccines made by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna Inc., tweaked to include protection against an early version of the omicron variant.

The Biden administration hopes to make getting a COVID-19 booster as routine as going in for the yearly flu shot.

Pfizer and Moderna have released a new COVID booster shot that will target the highly contagious BA.4 and BA.5 omicron variant.

Chicago anticipates its own separate allocation of about 150,000 initial doses, according to the city health department.

Michigan expects to have doses of Pfizer and Moderna’s new bivalent COVID-19 vaccine boosters as soon as early next week. The state also expects an allocation of up to 73,100 doses of Moderna’s bivalent booster. Pfizer and Moderna’s bivalent vaccines are recommended in a single dose administered at least two months after the primary series or subsequent booster. In Michigan, about 63.3% of residents have gotten a COVID vaccine, with about 58.2% of the population fully vaccinated. “Moderna’s mRNA platform has enabled us to develop, study, and deploy bivalent booster vaccine candidates that demonstrate superior protection against all tested COVID variants, in record time.

California won't allow teens age 15 and up to be vaccinated against the coronavirus without their parents' consent.

The next generation of COVID-19 vaccine boosters will soon be available. On Wednesday, Aug. 31, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized bivalent formulations of both the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines as a single booster shot administered at least two months after completing primary or booster vaccination. Pfizer’s shot has been authorized for individuals 12 and older, while Moderna’s shot is authorized for those age 18 and older. The government has deals in place to secure 66 million doses of Moderna’s bivalent booster, and another 105 million doses of Pfizer’s. In Michigan, about 63.3% of residents have gotten a COVID vaccine, with about 58.2% of the population fully vaccinated.

It is the first time the FDA has authorized an updated vaccine formula since the shots rolled out in December 2020.

U.S. regulators have authorized updated COVID-19 boosters, the first to directly target today's most common omicron strain.

Answer: The new mRNA product, made by both Pfizer and Moderna, is a two-in-one, or “bivalent” vaccine. One part targets the spike protein on the original Wuhan strain of the virus, just like the original vaccine. Pfizer’s bivalent booster is designed for adolescents and anyone 12 and older, while Moderna’s is for adults 18 and older. In eight mice, Pfizer’s bivalent booster generated a 2.6-fold increase in neutralizing antibody levels against the BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants, compared with the companies’ current booster. Lab work by Moderna showed its new booster increased neutralizing antibodies against the new variants 8-fold, while the original booster only increased antibody levels around 4.4-fold.

The pending arrival of an Omicron booster shot marks an ambitious new phase in the nation's vaccination campaign before a possible new COVID surge.

Everyone will probably gain something from the updated vaccines. Here’s how to make the most of it.

Pharmaceuticals Pfizer and BioNTech say they have asked the European Medicines Agency to authorize their updated coronavirus booster vaccine that includes the most recent omicron subvariants.

The vaccine maker alleges that its rivals Pfizer and BioNTech used some patented features of its mRNA technology to develop their COVID vaccines.

Moderna has announced plans to file a lawsuit against rival vaccine developer Pfizer and its partner, BioNTech, claiming patent infringement related to the company’s mRNA COVID vaccine. Moderna said it pioneered and patented its mRNA technology for therapeutics and vaccines between 2010 and 2016, and that Pfizer copied the technology without permission to make its COVID vaccine. The U.S. has administered more than 360 million doses of Pfizer’s COVID vaccine as of late August. That’s compared to more than 229 million doses of Moderna’s shot, and almost 18.9 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, according to CDC data. In Michigan, more than 6.9 million doses of Pfizer’s vaccine have been administered in Michigan, compared to more than 4.3 million doses of Moderna’s shot.

Moderna said in 2020 that it would not enforce its COVID-19-related patents while the pandemic continued. But later said it would update that pledge.

Moderna said it is suing Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech for patent infringement.

The lawsuit sets up clash between rival vaccine makers who used novel mRNA technology to speed delivery of shots.

New boosters that target Omicron may be our most important COVID vaccines since 2020—but the U.S. may be setting up the new shots to fail.

COVID-19 vaccines tweaked to better match today’s omicron threat are expected to roll out in a few weeks but how much will they help.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Pfizer’s COVID-19 pill appears to provide little or no benefit for younger adults, while still reducing the risk of hospitalization and death for high-risk seniors, according to a large study published Wednesday. The researchers found that Paxlovid reduced hospitalizations among people 65 and older by roughly 75% when given shortly after infection. But people between the ages of 40 and 65 saw no measurable benefit, according to the analysis of medical records. Pfizer reported earlier this summer that a separate study of Paxlovid in healthy adults — vaccinated and unvaccinated — failed to show a significant benefit. Under that scenario, insurers could set new criteria for when they would pay for patients to receive Paxlovid.

Pfizer’s COVID-19 pill appears to provide little or no benefit for younger adults.

The World Health Organization says the number of coronavirus deaths reported worldwide has fallen by 15% in the last week while new infections dropped by 9%

Americans are one step closer to securing a COVID-19 vaccine booster that better targets newer variants. Pfizer and partner BioNTech have requested emergency use authorization for their omicron-specific bivalent vaccine, which contains mRNA coding for both the original SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and the BA.4/BA.5 omicron subvariant. More than 6.3 million Michigan residents have gotten at least one dose of COVID vaccine since late 2020, or about 63.2% of the population. Much like the primary shots, older populations have been more likely to get a booster than younger generations. Almost 7 million doses of Pfizer’s vaccines have gone into arms in Michigan to date, compared to about 4.3 million doses of Moderna’s vaccine, 395,812 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, and 130 doses of the Novavax vaccine.

Pfizer’s says its COVID-19 vaccine was 73% effective in protecting children younger than 5 as omicron spread in the spring.

Pfizer has submitted data on its bivalent COVID-19 booster shot that specifically targets the latest omicron subvariants. If authorized, the company says the shots could be ready as soon as September.

Pfizer has asked U.S. regulators to authorize its combination COVID-19 vaccine that adds protection against the newest omicron relatives.

Pfizer asked U.S. regulators Monday to authorize its combination COVID-19 vaccine that adds protection against the newest omicron relatives — a key step toward opening a fall booster campaign. The Food and Drug Administration ordered vaccine makers to tweak their shots to target BA.4 and BA.5 that are better than ever at dodging immunity from earlier vaccination or infection. If the FDA quickly clears the combo shots made by Pfizer and its partner BioNTech, boosters could be offered within weeks.

Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech on Monday asked the Food and Drug Administration to authorize Covid booster shots that target the omicron BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants for people ages 12 and older. The U.S. is preparing for a fall vaccination campaign using updated vaccines that target the dominant omicron subvariants. The updated vaccines would target the original strain of the virus that first emerged in Wuhan, China in 2019 as well as omicron. Scientists and public health officials hope the new shots will provide broader and more durable protection against infection and mild illness. The currently authorized shots were developed to target the version of Covid that first emerged in China.

Updated Covid booster shots designed to target omicron's BA.5 subvariant will be available in the next three weeks or so. Here's who's going to be eligible.

Pfizer chairman and CEO Albert Bourla said he is taking Pfizer's Paxlovid pill and isolating while he recovers.

Here's our estimate of what Johnson & Johnson's potential exposure to this litigation could be in a worst-case scenario.

When Moderna and Pfizer first came out with their mRNA vaccines for COVID-19, supply was limited to rich countries and they did not share the details of how to create it. That left middle income countries like Brazil in the lurch. But for Brazilian scientists Patricia Neves and Ana Paula Ano Bom, that wasn't the end. They decided to invent their own mRNA vaccine. Their story, today: Aaron talks to global health correspondent Nurith Aizenman about the effort and how it has helped launch a wider global project to revolutionize access to mRNA vaccine technology.

It would be the first major vaccine of its type in 20 years. The companies are seeking thousands of volunteers in the U.S. and Europe as cases keep rising.

Researchers are seeking thousands of volunteers in the U.S. and Europe to test the first potential vaccine against Lyme disease in 20 years.

The pharma company’s marketing muscle should boost sales of Global Blood Therapeutics’ medicines to $3 billion a year.

BioNTech, which teamed with Pfizer to develop a powerful COVID-19 vaccine, has reported higher revenue and net profit in the first half of the year.

U.S. regulators say they are no longer considering authorizing second COVID-19 booster shots for all adults under 50 this summer.

Everyone in Britain who is 50 or over will be offered a fourth dose of coronavirus vaccine in the fall, lowering the age threshold from the previously announced 65.

The clinics “are part of a continued effort by the Ann Arbor YMCA to support Washtenaw and Southern Livingston Counties through the Covid-19 pandemic,” YMCA officials said in a release.

The U.S. is getting another COVID-19 vaccine choice.

U.S. pharmacists can now prescribe the leading COVID-19 pill directly to patients.

U.S. regulators are telling COVID-19 vaccine makers to tweak any booster doses intended for fall so they protect against the newest omicron relatives.

The U.S. government will purchase another 105 million doses of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine in anticipation of a fall booster campaign.

U.S. health authorities are facing a critical decision: whether to offer new COVID-19 booster shots this fall that are modified to better match the latest changes of the shape-shifting coronavirus.

Pfizer says tweaking its COVID-19 vaccine to better target the omicron variant is safe and boosts protection.

Scientists estimate that nearly 20 million lives were saved worldwide by COVID-19 vaccines during their first year.

Both the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines will be offered at the Washtenaw County Health Department’s ongoing COVID-19 clinic at 555 Towner St. in Ypsilanti.

Hear experts from U-M discuss vaccinating babies to five-year-old children in a livestream on Thursday.

U.S. health officials have opened COVID-19 vaccines for infants, toddlers and preschoolers — the last group without the shots.

U.S. regulators have authorized the first COVID-19 shots for infants and preschoolers.

The first COVID-19 shots for infants, toddlers and preschoolers in the U.S. have moved a step closer.

A government advisory panel has endorsed a second brand of COVID-19 vaccine for school-age children and teens.

A review by federal health officials says that Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine appears safe and effective for children under 5, the only group not currently eligible for vaccination.

Next week brings a marathon of hearings as the U.S. decides whether to open COVID-19 vaccinations to kids under 5.

White House officials say orders have been coming in for COVID-19 vaccine doses for small children.

A more traditional kind of COVID-19 vaccine is a step closer to becoming the fourth option for U.S. adults.

Pfizer announced an additional $120 million investment into its Kalamazoo, Michigan facility with an aim to boost production of the company’s COVID-19 oral treatment.

The Biden administration says children under 5 may be able to get their first COVID-19 vaccination doses as soon as June 21, if federal regulators authorize shots for the age group as expected.

Pfizer says it will provide nearly two dozen products at not-for-profit prices in some of the world’s poorest countries.

Parents hoping to get their youngest children vaccinated against COVID-19 have some encouraging news.

A federal appeals court is being asked to reconsider its decision allowing the Biden administration to require that federal employees get vaccinated against COVID-19.

Pfizer says three small doses of its COVID-19 vaccine protect kids under 5.

U.S. regulators have authorized a COVID-19 vaccine booster for healthy children ages 5 to 11.

Free COVID-19 vaccinations will be available at three vaccine clinics at Ann Arbor YMCA’s downtown location, 400 W. Washington St., this week.

The head of the World Health Organization has called on Pfizer to make its COVID-19 treatment more widely available in poorer countries.

A small number of COVID-19 patients are relapsing after taking Pfizer's antiviral pill, raising questions about the drug at the center of the U.S. response effort.

The clinic will take place in the Parish Activity Center of the St. Francis of Assisi Parish at 2250 E. Stadium Blvd.

U.S. regulators are strictly limiting who can receive Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine due to a rare but serious risk of blood clots.