FDA approves extra COVID shot for vulnerable patients

The Food and Drug Administration late Thursday approved giving an extra dose of the COVID-19 vaccine to Americans with weakened immune systems to better protect them a from the Delta  variant.

The extra shot will be available to patients who have undergone organ transplants or suffered from certain cancers or other disorders that weaken the immune system. Officials say about 3 percent of the population falls into the category.

The decision was expected, especially after other countries have already made such recommendations. U.S. regulators explained in advance their rationale.

“This action is about ensuring our most vulnerable ... are better protected against COVID-19,” Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said ahead of the FDA’s announcement.