US approves COVID-19 booster shots for all adults

As coronavirus cases continue to surge in the US, authorities on Fridayapproved Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna booster shots for all those over 18.

The booster doses were earlier authorisedfor people over 65. The FDA said the move will "eliminate confusion about who may receive a booster dose" as the country grapples with the virus.

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According to the FDA, people who have received the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines would be eligible to take the vaccine six months after the second shot and those who had taken the Johnson & Johnson vaccine can get a booster two months after their first shot.

Pfizer and Moderna had earlier requested authorities for booster doses even as some US states including California, Louisiana and Kansas have already directedadults to take the booster shots.

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Reports say most deaths and hospitalisations has taken place among the unvaccinated people as the US continues to battle the Delta variant.

According to the White House, 80 per cent of Americans aged 12 and over have received at least one dose of the vaccine with 2.6 million kids aged between 5-11 having received one dose.

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The White House said the government has invested billions of dollars in vaccine manufacturing. The US is the worst-hit country with the virus recording over 47 million coronavirus cases and more than768,700 fatalities.

(With inputs from Agencies)