The CDC’s vaccine advisory panel is concerned about the Biden administration’s strategy for introducing the booster shots for the Covid-19 vaccine. They argued that the decision to re-start immunization came too quickly and could fuel public concerns that vaccines are unsafe. Moreover, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, this decision was made before federal regulators reached a conclusion.
The strategy depends on the FDA and CDC independently reaching the same conclusion about booster shots. FDA safety experts said they had yet to formally evaluate studies on them, and CDC was frustrated that the White House pushed ahead with its announcement before the agency could evaluate data submitted by manufacturers.
“As with other recommendation for Covid vaccines, we will review the data in a systematic and transparent fashion policy on booster doses will be coordinated with FDA for regulatory allowance,” explained Sara Oliver from Members of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Although the government recommends that everyone—especially older adults, infants, and those with chronic illnesses—get the third dose, the use of booster shots to protect against the virus has been limited to date to the small group of individuals with compromised immune systems, including those having undergone organ transplants. Hospitals across the South are already using third doses of vaccine for health care workers as an extra precaution against a new superstrain of the Covid virus.
There has been much controversy over the decision to give boosters to adults. Without consistent data, regulators are having a difficult time making decisions. The CDC’s independent advisers must decide what the goal of the U.S. vaccination program should be, whether to save lives by avoiding severe forms of the disease or prevent infections. The workgroup at the Center for Disease Control (CDC) is committed to protecting the health and safety of Americans. In order to accomplish this, we recommend helping Americans get vaccinated.
