CDC Recommends Pfizer COVID-19 Booster to Those 65 and Older
National Health Institute Director Dr. Francis Collins stepped up to the AgriTalk microphone to share the CDC’s recommendation for the Pfizer COVID-19 booster with Host Chip Flory.
“If you’ve received the two doses of Pfizer vaccine six months or more ago, are 65 or older—or younger and have a medical condition like diabetes or hypertension—or if you’re somebody who’s at risk for exposure because you’re a health care provider or a teacher, you are now eligible to get a booster,” says Collins.
Dr. Collins was quick to mention the booster is only available for those who received the Pfizer vaccine. Moderna and Johnson & Johnson are being considered for boosters, and that information will likely be coming forward in the next three or four weeks, according to Collins.
“We are beginning to see some waning of the vaccine protection, and there’s certainly more people getting breakthrough infections. And although they may not get hospitalized, they may be sick for a few days,” says Collins. “If we can prevent that by giving people just a little bit more in their immune system with the booster, then why not do so?”
When asked whether the booster will eventually made part of the Biden Administration’s requirement for government employees to get vaccinated, Collins says that has not been part of any subject matter so far, and he believes it will not be required in the future.
Collins also says if you’ve had COVID-19 you will have natural immunity, but not nearly as much immunity as you would have if you were vaccinated. He then referenced a study recently released by the CDC outlining reinfection risk.
“You increase your resistance of getting sick again by almost threefold if you put the vaccine on top of that natural infection. You can still become infected, but you’re about 10 times less likely to carry the virus and spread it to other people.”
The number of unvaccinated Americans continues to hover around 70 million people. Collins says getting unvaccinated Americans the COVID-19 jab is the CDC’s No. 1 priority, with administering boosters being a close second.
“There are some 50 million doses out there in pharmacies that are queued up and ready to go. As soon as today, people can start getting those boosters.”
The vaccine mandate will take effect Nov. 22. During which time, federal employees are required to be fully immunized.
To hear more of the AgriTalk interview, listen here.
