With the recent approval of COVID-19 booster shots for select groups of people who received the Pfizer vaccine, swarms of those ineligible for the extra dose have been flooding medical centers.
Both White House officials and CDC experts have addressed the surge, saying it is important not to lie to get an extra shot and could undermine COVID vaccine safety reporting and other important data.
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Those currently eligible for the extra dose have previously received Pfizer's vaccine, are aged 65 and older, are at high risk for complications from COVID-19, or live or work in high-risk settings.
The CDC's director, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, is warning those ineligible not to get a third shot. She said that it would hurt the government's ability to track the safety of the shots accurately.
However, the CDC has reported that less than a third of people who received a booster shot have reported having side effects.
"The one thing I want to highlight in the context of this is that it does undermine our ability to monitor safety in these contexts," Walensky said. "So, we are asking people to follow our guidance, to follow what (the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices) will say and the FDA will say in the coming day — several days, and to follow recommendations so we can follow safety signals here as well."
This is the reason that pharmacies and other vaccine distributors are being asked to verify a patient's eligibility accurately.
Reports have come in that some who received doses of the Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccines are attempting to get another shot of Pfizer. Currently, the CDC has not approved mixing vaccines, so it is advised that people stick with the shot they have received.
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The only vaccine that has been approved for booster doses is the one developed by Pfizer/BioNTech. However, the CDC is believed to be preparing approval for boosters for the other two vaccines.
Today, 56% of the nation is fully vaccinated, and millions of Americans are waiting to receive eligibility for a booster shot as the delta variant surge continues across the country.
