CHARLESTON — While COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations continue to drop in West Virginia, state officials urged eligible residents to get a second booster shot in anticipation of new cases from a virus subvariant.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a second booster shot Tuesday for certain older people and those with immunocompromised conditions. A further decision by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control is needed, but that is expected as soon as the next few days.

The amended emergency use authorization allows a second booster shot for the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines for people older than age 50 at least four months after they received the first booster dose.

“Current evidence suggests some waning of protection over time against serious outcomes from COVID-19 in older and immunocompromised individuals,” said Dr. Peter Marks, director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, in a statement Tuesday. “Based on an analysis of emerging data, a second booster dose of either the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine could help increase protection levels for these higher-risk individuals.

A second Pfizer booster can be administered to people aged 12 and older with certain immunocompromised conditions or who live with someone with an immunocompromised condition. A second Moderna booster can be administered to people aged 18 and over with immunocompromised conditions.

“Additionally, the data shows that an initial booster dose is critical in helping to protect all adults from the potentially severe outcomes of COVID-19,” Marks said. “So, those who have not received their initial booster dose are strongly encouraged to do so.”

The FDA had previously approved a single booster dose for only immunocompromised people. The amended emergency authorization only affects Moderna and Pfizer and not the Johnson and Johnson vaccine, though the Centers for Disease Control do allow for using the Pfizer and Moderna boosters along with the Johnson and Johnson shot.

Data from other countries, including Israel, showed a second booster dose for older populations greatly reduced instances of serious infections and death, Dr. Clay Marsh, the state coronavirus czar, said.

“(Israel) published their data looking at the vaccinations of people between 60- and 100-years old that were given an additional booster dose four months or more after their previous booster dose,” Marsh said. “They found there was a 70 percent reduction in death in the people who got the (second booster) versus people who only got three doses four months past their booster dose.”

In West Virginia, only 43.6 percent of those eligible for the first booster shots have received them.

More than 90 percent of residents age 65 and older have their first booster. But booster use drops considerably among young adults and children, ranging from 17.2 percent of residents aged 31-40 boosted to 6.9 percent of children aged 12-15 boosted.

Gov. Jim Justice, speaking during his twice-per-week virtual briefing Tuesday, said more than 422,000 booster doses have been administered to date.

“Please, please, please, take heed and absolutely get that booster shot,” Justice said. “We’ve picked up a couple thousand folks who have gotten their booster shot … there’s been over 2,000 people that have gone and since the last time we were here and got their booster shot.”

COVID-19 active cases continue to break record lows with 376 active cases Tuesday, and hospitalizations fell to 155 cases. While officials continue to applaud the reduction in cases, hospitalizations, and deaths, they continue to encourage vaccinations and boosters as cases of the BA.2 omicron subvariant increase in Europe and begin to rise in the U.S. The new subvariant is more contagious than BA.1 omicron, though it appears to be as mild.

Last week, state health officials unveiled a new COVID-19 Vaccination Due Date Calculator at vaccinate.wv.gov. The tool can help someone determine what date they need to get the next dose or booster and help them schedule appointments and reminders.

Steven Allen Adams can be reached at sadams@newsandsentinel.com.