FDA expected to authorize third vaccine booster shot for immunocompromised
Update 8/12/21 - 8:20 p.m.
U.S. regulators on Thursday said transplant recipients and others with weakened immune systems can get an extra dose of the COVID-19 vaccine to better protect them as the delta variant continues to surge.
The announcement by the Food and Drug Administration applies to millions of Americans who are especially vulnerable because of organ transplants, certain cancers or other disorders
Original Report:
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is expected to authorize a third COVID-19 booster shot for certain immunocompromised people, as early as Thursday or Friday this week.
The booster shot would be a third shot of the Moderna or Pfizer vaccines currently available.
“We are evaluating this on day by day, week by week, month by month basis," said Dr. Anthony Fauci on Thursday morning.
Fauci says it's likely that all Americans will ultimately need a booster shot for "durability and protection." However, as of now, their focus is solely on certain immunocompromised groups.
Here in the valley, Dr. Euthym Kontaxis at Eisenhower Health says the majority of severe COVID-19 cases they’re seeing right now are among the unvaccinated or those with weakened immune systems.
“The vaccine...because of their immunological state, the vaccine didn’t quite take as much as we’d like,” he explained.
Dr. Kontaxis says the majority of ‘breakthrough’ cases he’s seen are in immunologically compromised patients.
“There are some breakthroughs. Again, those are patients who have some underlying immune issue that prevented them from developing enough immunity.”
Stay with News Channel 3 for continuing coverage on the FDA's approval of booster shots.
