(Reuters) -U.S. health regulators are looking at authorizing a potential fourth dose of a COVID-19 vaccine in the fall, the Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday, citing sources familiar with the matter. The Food and Drug Administration has been reviewing data to authorize a second booster dose of the messenger RNA vaccines from Pfizer Inc and partner BioNTech SE and vaccines from Moderna Inc, the report added. The agency last month cut the interval to get a booster dose of COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer and BioNTech as well as from Moderna, in a bid to provide better protection sooner against the Omicron variant. The planning is still in early stages, and authorization would depend on determinations as to whether the second booster should be authorized for all adults or particular age groups, and whether it should target the Omicron variant or be formulated differently, the report said. It added that no decision was final and that it could be necessary to make booster shots available earlier if a new variant appears. The United States reported 2,323 COVID-19 deaths on Friday, bringing the total count to 936,523. NN: It is settled business typical of these types of vaccines like the flue Jap the vaccine wears off very quickly. In the case of the covid vaccines studies show in 4 to 5 months protection drops dramatically Say you get your booster shot in March. That means your timing would be right to receive the modified to new variants that should be available in August or September. Thats when it looks like the new subvariant BA.2 starts infecting people in mass. For the record its a mistake to open things all the way. Have we not learned anything. Every time they open things up within 6 months another wave is upon us. The BA,2 variant is now dominate in South Africa, India, England and Denmark. A recent Denmark study finds its 30% more infectious than the current variant.an it infects more fully vaccinated people then any other variant. This is very early data.