After Pfizer says vax booster may be needed, CDC and FDA say not necessarily so yet

Fully vaccinated people don't need Covid boosters, health agencies say "We are prepared for booster doses if and when the science demonstrates that they are needed," the FDA and the CDC said. NBC News

People who are fully vaccinated do not need Covid-19 boosters, health and drug officials said Thursday.

"We are prepared for booster doses if and when the science demonstrates that they are needed," the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a joint statement.  ...

Pfizer said Thursday that it would seek U.S. authorization for a third dose of its vaccine, saying another shot within 12 months could dramatically boost immunity.

Research shows that two doses of mRNA vaccines offer strong protection against the highly contagious delta variant.

The U.S. agencies said they continue to study vaccines and possible boosters.

The FDA, the CDC and the National Institutes of Health "are engaged in a science-based, rigorous process to consider whether or when a booster might be necessary," the groups said in their statement. "This process takes into account laboratory data, clinical trial data, and cohort data — which can include data from specific pharmaceutical companies, but does not rely on those data exclusively. We continue to review any new data as it becomes available and will keep the public informed."

The agencies said those who are vaccinated are protected from variants, including the surging delta variant. But they urged Americans 12 and older who have not yet been vaccinated to get their shots.

"People who are not vaccinated remain at risk. Virtually all Covid-19 hospitalizations and deaths are among those who are unvaccinated," the statement said. ...

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