COVID-19 Booster Shots Coming In September: Stocks To Watch

For Americans, it’s almost time for a coronavirus vaccine booster. That’s according to a Wednesday announcement from White House health officials. Booster shot rollouts will begin the week of Sept. 20 and will be offered to those who got their first vaccine earliest, which is meant to prioritize vulnerable populations like nursing home residents, seniors and health care providers.

What’s Happening: National Institute of Health Director Dr. Francis Collins told NPR that scientists are seeing some breakthrough infections, and so this measure is meant to be preventative, avoiding higher hospitalizations of the already vaccinated.

“It’s not dramatic, (but) it’s particularly accentuated by the Delta variant,” he said.

Why It Matters: All of the vaccine stocks have taken large leaps since March, particularly Moderna MRNA.

Johnson & Johnson JNJ has likely been a bit disappointing for investors, as its stock has not increased as much as anticipated by investors.

This could be a particularly good time to buy MRNA, as some investors have been saying per previous Benzinga reporting, especially as the stock has been falling since Aug. 10.

What Else: Critics say that people around the world have not even received their first shot yet. In the U.S., about 90 million eligible citizens in the country are hesitant to get vaccinated.

The U.S. has already sent millions of vaccines abroad, and as of early August, had sent 110 million vaccines to countries around the world, per NPR reporting, and has committed to donating 600 million doses worldwide, according to the Wednesday announcement.

Despite the booster announcement, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy said the White House is still committed to getting the unvaccinated a vaccine since those who are not vaccinated are more likely to die from a COVID-19 infection.

“The overwhelming majority of hospitalizations and death continue to occur among the unvaccinated,” he said Wednesday. “We will continue to ramp up efforts to increase vaccinations here at home and to ensure people have accurate information about vaccines and access to vaccinations.”

Photo: Hakan Nural via Unsplash.