Dr. John Vanchiere, Infectious Disease Specialist LSU Health Shreveport
The FDA gave full approval to Pfizer’s COVID vaccine on Monday and LSU Health Shreveport Infectious Disease Specialist Dr. John Vanchiere who helped oversee clinical trials for the Pfizer vaccine said he is both excited and relieved the important milestone has been achieved.
“Those who have been hesitant to take this as a very important milestone that should allow them just to breathe a sigh of relief and go get their vaccine,” said Vanchiere.
While many fear the mRNA vaccines have been rushed and we don’t know long-term effects, Vanchiere said the mRNA platform for developing vaccines has been under development scientifically for several decades.
“Has been used in the development of some cancer vaccines, and Pfizer was very, very close to starting the clinical trials for an mRNA influenza vaccine right before the pandemic hit,” said Vanchiere.
As for vaccine mandates, Vanchiere said in healthcare institutions it’s absolutely paramount that employees are not potential spreaders of COVID in convalescent settings.
“That’s a tenant of healthcare and an ethic that we have been discussing for hundreds of hundreds of years, first do no harm,” said Vanchiere.
The state’s largest hospital system, Ochsner Health has stated they will require employees to be fully vaccinated once FDA full approval is granted.
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