Technologies

FDA could soon authorize Pfizer COVID-19 booster shots for all adults

The move would expand eligibility for the vaccine booster, which the CDC has already approved for specific groups.

The US Food and Drug Administration could authorize Pfizer’s COVID-19 booster shot for all adults as early as Thursday, The New York Times reported Tuesday. That would mean any adult who got a second dose of the vaccine at least six months prior could be eligible to get the third shot as soon as this weekend, if regulators sign off on the move.

The FDA didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and its vaccine advisory committee will still need to sign off on the boosters before they become available to all Americans. The committee has a meeting scheduled for Friday to discuss the booster dose, according to The Times. The CDC didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

In September, the FDA approved Pfizer’s COVID-19 booster shot for adults who are 65 and older or at-risk. The CDC then approved Pfizer’s booster shot for those Americans. Last month, the FDA also greenlit Moderna’s COVID-19 booster shot for adults 65 and older or at-risk, as well as Johnson & Johnson’s COVID booster for adults 18 and older.

Additionally, the FDA last month approved the option for eligible people to «mix and match» vaccines when getting their booster, meaning someone who got one kind of vaccine for the initial dose could get a booster shot of a different vaccine.

Last week, Pfizer asked the FDA for approval of its booster shot for anyone 18 and older. In the meantime, states such as California, Colorado and New Mexico have already authorized all adults to receive the extra vaccine.

Multiple studies show that vaccine effectiveness could start to drop after six to eight months. Recent studies say a booster dose of Pfizer shows 95.6% vaccine efficacy against COVID-19.

The COVID-19 vaccines are highly effective at preventing hospitalization and deaths. More than 99% of COVID deaths are of unvaccinated people, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the president’s chief medical advisor, told CBS in early July. And people who aren’t fully vaccinated were more than 10 times more likely to be hospitalized and 11 times more likely to die from COVID-19 in the spring and summer, compared with those who are fully vaccinated, The Washington Post reported. Over 58% of the US population is fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to the CDC.

While boosters could provide added protection to millions of Americans, only around 4.6% of people in low-income countries have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Technologies

The Most Exciting Video Game Rumors and Leaks Ahead of 2026

Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Wednesday, Dec. 17

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for Dec. 17.

Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Need some help with today’s Mini Crossword? Read on. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword

Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.

Mini across clues and answers

1A clue: Nod (off)
Answer: DOZE

5A clue: Naval submarine in W.W. II
Answer: UBOAT

7A clue: Tricky thing to do on a busy highway
Answer: MERGE

8A clue: Heat-resistant glassware for cooking
Answer: PYREX

9A clue: Put into groups
Answer: SORT

Mini down clues and answers

1D clue: Break up with
Answer: DUMP

2D clue: Falls in line, so to speak
Answer: OBEYS

3D clue: Legendary vigilante who cuts a «Z» with his sword
Answer: ZORRO

4D clue: Rarin’ to go
Answer: EAGER

6D clue: Common reminder for an upcoming appointment
Answer: TEXT

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Technologies

You Can Watch an Exclusive Avatar: Fire and Ash Scene on TikTok Right Now

Disney and TikTok partner on an immersive content hub for James Cameron’s latest movie about the alien Na’vi.

If you’re not quite ready to head to the theater to watch Avatar: Fire and Ash, an exclusive scene preview might sell you on the visual spectacle. As part of a new collaboration with the social media giant, Disney is posting snippets of its new movie to its TikTok account.

This scene isn’t part of any trailer and won’t be posted to other social media accounts, making TikTok the only place you can view it — unless you buy a movie ticket. A first look at the new movie’s scenes isn’t the only Avatar-related bonus on the social media platform right now, either. TikTok has partnered with the house of mouse to bring an entire «immersive content hub» to the app.

A special section of TikTok includes quizzes and educational videos that explore the alien world of Pandora shown off in the movies. On TikTok, you can take a personality quiz to find out what Na’vi clan you most closely align with and unlock a special profile picture border to use on your account.

Science and fiction blend together with a series of videos from real doctors who explain the basis for some of Avatar’s world-building. If you want to learn about exoplanets or how realistic the anatomy of the movie’s alien animals is, these videos will feed your brain while still providing entertainment value.

Perhaps the most enticing part of Disney’s latest social media collaboration is the opportunity for fans to win prizes and trips. TikTok creators who make edits with the #TikTokAvatarContest hashtag are entered into a competition to win Avatar merchandise. The biggest winners will be able to take a trip to visual effects studio Wētā Workshop in New Zealand or visit Avatar director James Cameron’s Lightstorm Entertainment Studio in Los Angeles.

Avatar: Fire and Ash is the third installment in director Cameron’s cinematic passion project. While the first Avatar movie was released in 2009, Cameron didn’t release another entry in the franchise until 2022. In total, there is a five-movie arc planned for the indigo alien Na’vi on the moon of Pandora.

The Avatar movies are known for pushing the boundaries of CGI visual effects in cinema. They are also historically big winners at the box office: the original Avatar is the highest-grossing film of all time, earning $2.9 billion across its theatrical releases. Its sequel, Avatar: The Way of Water, is the third-highest-grossing film of all time, trailing Avengers: Endgame. You can stream those movies on Disney Plus.

It remains to be seen whether Avatar: Fire and Ash will financially live up to its predecessors. The film currently has mixed reviews from critics on Rotten Tomatoes.