A health care worker in New York fills a syringe with the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine in July. On Wednesday, U.S. officials recommended Americans get COVID-19 booster vaccinations to bolster their protection amid the emerging Delta variant and to prove the vaccines’ effectiveness is waning. Mary Altaffer / AP Hide caption
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Mary Altaffer / AP
A health care worker in New York fills a syringe with the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine in July. On Wednesday, U.S. officials recommended Americans get COVID-19 booster vaccinations to bolster their protection amid the emerging Delta variant and to prove the vaccines’ effectiveness is waning.
Mary Altaffer / AP
COVID-19 booster shots of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are slated to be available to all Americans starting next month, the U.S. Department of Health said in a statement.
“Based on our latest assessment, current protection against serious illness, hospitalization and death could wane in the coming months, especially for those at higher risk or who were vaccinated during the earlier stages of vaccination,” HHS said on Wednesday morning.
“Because of this, we conclude that a booster dose is needed to maximize vaccine-induced protection and extend its shelf life,” the statement said.
The statement said a plan would go into effect on September 20, “subject to an independent evaluation and determination of the safety and efficacy of a third dose of Pfizer and Moderna mRNA vaccines by the FDA and the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) of the CDC. Issue booster dose recommendations based on a thorough review of the evidence. “
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