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Coronavirus Watch: Latest booster recommendations

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If you're at high risk for severe COVID or are over the age 65, you're now eligible to receive a second omicron booster. 

The FDA said Tuesday that the booster can be given a second time to people whose protection against COVID likely fades. Specifically: 

  • people over 65 can get another booster at least four months after their previous one 
  • people with some immunocompromising conditions can get boosters as often as every two months, at their doctor's recommendation

What about everyone else? The FDA says boosters are not yet needed for younger, healthy people but it will make a recommendation for them early this summer. For the latest guidance on kids' boosters, read more from health reporter Karen Weintraub here. 

This is the second-to-last edition of the Coronavirus Watch. Here's what we're reading this week:

  • Does COVID during pregnancy lead to developmental problems in babies? A study last month found an increased risk for neurodevelopmental delays in boys exposed to the virus while in utero. But, the data is conflicting. Read more about it here. 
  • COVID and fertility: We knew that the pandemic led to the biggest one-year drop in U.S. births in nearly 50 years, but a new study finds not every state was equally affected. Researchers discovered fluctuating fertility rates were more strongly linked to demographic, economic and political factors rather than COVID cases.
  • Researchers are sampling bears for COVID. The USDA in Wisconsin is trying to see how the virus is spreading among animals and if it's a risk to humans. So, how does one get close enough to a wild carnivore? Read about it here. 

Reminder, this newsletter is coming to a close.

We're ending this newsletter next week, but there's plenty of ways to stay in touch with our Health team and Paste BN: 

Thanks for reading. 

– Rachel Aretakis, health editor, raretakis@usatoday.com 

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