Biden Admin Officially Recommends COVID Booster Shots

Te Biden administration is officially recommending most Americans receive a Covid-19 booster shot to combat waning immunity. In a joint statement with multiple health agencies like the CDC and NIH, the Biden administration recommended those who received their Moderna and Pfizer vaccines get a third shot and the process will begin next month.

The Hill reports:

“The available data make very clear that protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection begins to decrease over time following the initial doses of vaccination, and in association with the dominance of the Delta variant, we are starting to see evidence of reduced protection against mild and moderate disease,” the officials said.

Administration of the boosters will begin Sept. 20. At that time, the individuals who were fully vaccinated earliest in the vaccination rollout, including many health care providers, nursing home residents, and other seniors, will likely be eligible for a booster, the officials said.

“Based on our latest assessment, the current protection against severe disease, hospitalization, and death could diminish in the months ahead, especially among those who are at higher risk or were vaccinated during the earlier phases of the vaccination rollout. For that reason, we conclude that a booster shot will be needed to maximize vaccine-induced protection and prolong its durability,” officials said.

The move is subject to an independent evaluation by the FDA to determine the safety and effectiveness of a third dose of the Pfizer and Moderna mRNA vaccines and CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) issuing booster dose recommendations “based on a thorough review of the evidence.”

Testing is still being done on J&J vaccines.

AAN Staff