(Reuters) – The director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) signed off on Thursday on the use of new vaccines from Pfizer and GSK to prevent severe respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infections in older adults, the agency’s spokesperson said.
The recommendation comes after the agency’s advisers backed the use of the shots last week in older adults, but stopped short of saying all of them should get the shots.
Both drugmakers have said they expect to start supply of the shots ahead of the RSV season later this year.
RSV usually causes mild, cold-like symptoms, but can also lead to serious illness and hospitalization, especially among older adults and children.
It is estimated to cause around 14,000 deaths in adults aged 65 and older in the United States annually, according to government data.
(Reporting by Michael Erman in New York, Leroy Leo and Raghav Mahobe in Bengaluru; Editing by Pooja Desai)
