WASHINGTON -- The Biden administration is launching what it says is a one-stop website that will help people in the United States access COVID-19 tests, vaccines and treatments, along with status updates on infection rates where they live.
The website launch comes a day after Americans 50 and older were authorized to get a second COVID-19 booster if it's been at least four months since their last vaccination, a chance at extra protection for the most vulnerable in case the coronavirus rebounds. "Everyone eligible for a first booster who hasn't gotten one yet needs to, FDA vaccine chief Dr. Peter Marks said. But the second booster is only for these higher-risk groups because there's evidence protection can wane and FDA decided the option"will help save lives and prevent severe outcomes."
But an omicron subvariant is causing a worrisome jump in infections in Europe -- and spreading in the U.S. - even as vaccination has stalled. About two-thirds of Americans are fully vaccinated, and half of those eligible for a first booster haven't gotten one.