Health officials are now recommending that all Americans get COVID-19 booster shots -- but don't run to your pharmacy rolling up your sleeve just yet.
The FDA last week updated the emergency use authorizations for the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines to allow for the use of an additional dose in certain immunocompromised individuals. Now, health officials are saying all Americans should get a third shot.
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People who are immunocompromised have a reduced ability to fight infections and other diseases, and they are especially vulnerable to infections -- including COVID-19. They include organ transplant recipients, cancer patients and others with severely weakened immune systems. The high-risk group represents no more than 3% of U.S. adults, according to the FDA. The shots are to be considered a third dose as part of the initial prescription for the immune-compromised and not a booster shot.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert, has said that COVID boosters would probably be needed for all Americans as studies indicate the vaccine's effectiveness wanes over time -- especially in the face of emerging variants. A study from the Mayo Clinic noted the effectiveness of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines declined as the more contagious delta variant spread across the country. The analysis showed the effectiveness of the two-dose Pfizer vaccine dropped from 76% earlier this year to 42% in July amid the emergence of the delta variant. The Moderna vaccine declined from 86% to 76%.
U.S. health authorities on Wednesday officially recommend an extra dose of the vaccine for all Americans eight months after they get their second shot of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine.
The booster doses could begin the week of September 20. Shots will likely be rolled out with a prioritization similar to the initial distribution, with health care workers, nursing home workers and older individuals first in line.
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Officials say booster shots for all would only begin once the FDA gives full approval of the vaccines, which are currently being administered under emergency rules. The FDA has given no timeline for authorization, though experts expect it could happen in the coming weeks. The two-dose Pfizer shot is expected to be the first with full approval.
The plan is awaiting FDA evaluation of the safety and effectiveness of a third dose. Researchers are still trying to determine how effective a third vaccine dose could be. Scientists are also looking at a timeline for when it would be most effective. If the shots are administered too soon, it could be unnecessary as immunity from the first two doses is still high.
People who received the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine will also probably need extra shots, but health officials are awaiting more data before making the recommendation.
Latest figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show 72.2% of U.S. adults have received at least one dose of vaccine and 61.8% are considered fully vaccinated.
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