The Biden administration wants to roll out COVID-19 booster shots starting September 20. The White House maintains individuals ages 65 years old and below should have the vaccine, despite FDA opinions stating otherwise.
NIH Director dismissed FDA’s opinion, stating it is still “subject to change”
Director of the National Institute of Health (NIH), Dr. Francis Collins, noted his support to roll out the booster shots.
The decision was made despite the FDA’s Committee for Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory advice. This advice said no to the booster shots applications, except for individuals older than 65 years old and for at-risk groups.
In an interview with Fox News, the director of the NIH dismissed the FDA’s opinion, noting that it is still “subject to change” after science and facts are reviewed further.
BREAKING NEWS: FDA advisory panel soundly rejects a plan to offer Pfizer booster shots against COVID-19 to most Americans.
The dam is bursting… pic.twitter.com/W7DYsBThnE
— Unity News Network (UNN) (@UnityNewsNet) September 17, 2021
Collins claimed the big news is the FDA did approve the rollout of COVID booster shots. This was referring to the authorization for emergency use of the vaccine for people ages 65 years and older, along with at-risk individuals.
Collins added that at present, the FDA is still taking a look at the data and the NIH will see what will transpire in the upcoming weeks. He likewise claimed it would be a surprise for him if the authorization for COVID booster shots is still not clear in the next few weeks.
However, what is clear for them (based on the data gathered and what they have observed in the United States and in Israel) is that the effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccine decreases over time and they have to respond to it.
The Biden administration is looking to administer booster shots starting September 20
On the other hand, the Biden administration is looking at September 20 to start offering COVID booster shots for the public. However, the CDC admitted that the distribution of the vaccine is still pending FDA approval.
Collins likewise admitted that he is not certain whether the booster shots will be recommended for everyone, referring to the concerns of risks for younger people outweighing the benefits.
However, he maintained that it will be approved for certain for people ages 65 years old and over. On the other hand, two officials from the FDA, Director Marion Gruber and Deputy Director Phil Krause from the Office of Vaccines Research and Review, are resigning from their post.
This comes as a form of protest against the Biden administration’s attempt to push for the COVID booster shots.
BREAKING: An influential federal advisory panel rejected a plan to offer Pfizer booster shots against COVID-19 to most Americans. The 16-2 vote was a blow to the Biden administration’s effort to increase virus protections amid the contagious delta variant. https://t.co/CFhGFfdcml
— The Associated Press (@AP) September 17, 2021
The FDA officials, together with a group of leading scientists, affirmed that the present evidence they have does not yet support the administration of COVID booster shots to everyone.
The group of scientists wrote that widespread administration of booster shots should be done only once clear evidence is present that administration of these shots is appropriate.
