Are We Jumping the Gun on COVID Boosters?

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— Efficacy, safety, and ethical questions linger

Over the last week, the topic of COVID-19 booster shots — a third dose of mRNA vaccine for healthy Americans — has been thrust into the spotlight. The surgeon general, CDC director, Anthony Fauci, MD, and President Biden have announced that they wish for boosters to be available by late September for healthy adults who are 8 months out from their original two-dose series. While this will be contingent on an FDA evaluation to determine the “safety and effectiveness of the third dose,” a clear path forward has already been set. And just like everything else throughout the course of the pandemic, the choice has been made with a dearth of data and an abundance of political pressure.

Diminishing vaccine effectiveness supposedly makes the case for boosters. But there are two big questions here: First, what is current vaccine effectiveness? And second, what justifies boosters? Let’s consider these in turn.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE by Vinay Prasad, MD, MPH HERE AT MEDPAGE TODAY:
https://www.medpagetoday.com/opinion/vinay-prasad/94188?xid=fb_o&trw=no