/https://specials-images.forbesimg.com/imageserve/61732100ab62a58ee1c8c30e/0x0.jpg?cropX1=0&cropX2=1727&cropY1=0&cropY2=971 "FDA Could Reportedly Sign Off On Pfizer Covid Booster Shots For All Adults This Week")
Topline
The Food and Drug Administration is aiming to authorize third doses of Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine for all American adults this week, the New York Times and NBC News reported Tuesday, vastly expanding eligibility for booster shots.
A nurse draws a Moderna vaccine dose from a vial on March 25, 2021 in Bowie, Maryland.
Key Facts
The agency could greenlight giving booster shots of Pfizer’s vaccine to all adults as soon as Thursday, broadening access beyond the seniors and high-risk people currently authorized for an extra Pfizer dose, the Times and NBC said, citing unnamed sources.
The FDA plans to authorize booster shots without consulting its independent advisory committee, a panel of experts that has weighed in before some of the agency’s previous decisions to authorize Covid-19 vaccines, according to the Times.
Forbes has reached out to the FDA and Pfizer for comment.
What To Watch For
If the FDA signs off on expanded booster shots, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is expected to weigh the issue next. An independent CDC panel that issues nonbinding recommendations is scheduled to meet Friday.
Key Background
Federal regulators have authorized boosters for all three Covid-19 vaccines, but eligibility varies. Anybody who took Johnson & Johnson’s single-shot vaccine can get an extra dose, but boosters for Pfizer and Moderna’s vaccines are only authorized for elderly people or adults who face an amplified Covid-19 risk due to their job or an underlying health issue. In September, the FDA’s advisory panel chose not to recommend Pfizer booster shots for everybody 16 and older, arguing the vaccine is still highly effective against severe illness and death. However, some board members said last month they may support expanding eligibility to lower-risk groups, aiming to cut the risk of breakthrough infections, NBC News noted.
Big Number
30.7 million. That’s how many Americans have already taken a Covid-19 booster shot, accounting for 15.7% of the country’s fully vaccinated population, according to CDC data.
Surprising Fact
Several states have broadened eligibility for booster shots on their own, indicating that all residents are permitted to take an extra vaccine dose. Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) signed an executive order last week deeming all of his state’s residents to be at a high risk of Covid-19, and New York City directed healthcare providers on Monday not to turn away any adult who requests a booster shot.
Further Reading
F.D.A. Plans to Authorize Pfizer Boosters for All Adults This Week (New York Times)
