The CDC has given the go-ahead for 16 and 17-year olds to receive Pfizer COVID-19 booster shots. It’s a move that Dr. Fred Lopez, a professor and infectious disease specialist with LSU Health Sciences Center in New Orleans favors in battling both variants of the virus in the U.S. “I know we’re speaking a lot about the Omicron variant these days but the reality the Delta variant is still the overwhelming cause of COVID-19 infections in the United States,” said Dr. Lopez.
The booster shots for the newly eligible 16 and 17-year olds are available to those who have received the initial two-shot regimen of the Pfizer vaccine at least six months ago.
Dr. Lopez says the efficacy of the Pfizer vaccine can fade after six months, and with the Delta and Omicron variants circulating, it’s one of the reasons to get boosted with the third Pfizer dose. He says, “any individual who gets infected can incubate the variant even if they’re not incubating a variant and if they’re infected they can transmit it to other individuals.”
Dr. Lopez says the move to permit Pfizer booster shots to those 16 and older now is the right thing to do. “Boosting people will hopefully reduce the number of infections, decrease the number of variants produced, decrease the number of people who acquire the infection from these individuals,” said Dr. Lopez.
The expansion to Pfizer booster shots for 16 and 17-year olds took effect immediately last Thursday with emergency authorization from the FDA.
Comments