NOW LET’S TALK ABOUT SOME OTHER NEWS, PFIZER ASKING FEDALER REGULATORS TO EXPAND AUTHORIZATION OF ITS COVID-19 BOOSTER SHOT TO ALL AMERICANS WHO ARE AT LEAST 18 YEARS OLD. ED: TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS IS AN INFECTIOUS DISEASE SPECIALIST AT SOUTH SHORE HEALTH. THE SHOT IS NOW AVAILABLE TO OTHER ADULTS AND PEOPLE IN HIGH-RISK GROUPS. DO YOU THINK THE F.D.A. SHOULD OFFER THE BOOSTER TO MORE PEOPLE? GUEST: I TNKHI IT’S A GREAT QUESTION. WHEN WE STARTED LOOKING AT THIS INITIALLY, THE F.D.A. LOOKED AT DATA LIMITED TO THOSE 60 AND OLDER. NOW WE HAVE MEOR DATA INCLUDING CHILDREN 12ND A OLDER. THERE HAVE BEEN NO SAFETY SIGNALS SEEN IN THE STUDIES OF THE CHILDREN THAT GOT BOOSTERS AND THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT DECREASE IN HOSPITALIZATION, SEVERE ILLNESS AND DEATH. I THINK THE F.D..A REALLY NEEDS TO TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THIS AND PROBABLY JUST MAKE IT ELIGIBLE TO EVERYO.NE MARIA: WHAT DOES THE INFORMATION OWSH ABOUT WANING IMMUNY.IT IS IT IMPACDTE BY HOW OLD SOMEONE IS OR THEIR GENDER? GUEST: WE DO KWNO THAT OLDER INDIVIDUALS AND ESPECIALLY THOSE THATRE A IMMUNOCOMPROMISED, THAT THREI IMMUNITY WANES WITH TIME AFTER THEY’VE BEEN GIVEN THE VACCINE. WE D’TON KNOW AS MHUC WITH THEIR GENDER. HOWEVER, I WOULD ENCOURAGE THIS GROUP, GET YOUR VACCINES. IFOU Y HAVE NOT HAD YOUR BOOSTER, PLEEAS GET ONE. ED: SOME PEOPLE HAVE RECOVERED FROM COVIDND A THEN THEY GOT FULLY VACCINATED, THEN OTHERS HAVE HAD THAT BREAKTHROUGH INFECTION. WHAT’S YOUR ADVICE TO THEM ABOUT GETTING THAT BOOSTER SHOT? GUES IT: WOULD ENCOURAGE ANYONE WHO IS ELIGIBLE RFO THE BOOSTER RIGHT NOW TO GET THE BSTOOER. IT’S AN EXTRA LAYER OF PROTECTION THAT WE HAVE TO HPEL US WITH THIS FIGHT AGAINST COVID ISOF YOU FALL WITHIN THAT CATEGORY, I REALLY WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TOET G YOUR BOOSTER. MARIA: AS A HEALTHCARE WORKER, YOU WERE AMONG THE FIRST GUPRO TO GET VACCINATED AGAINST COVID-19. A PERSONAL QUESTION AND I KNOW I HAVE PERMISSION TO ASK IT, OTHERWISE I WOULD ASK PERMISSION FIRST. HAVE YOU RECEIVED YOUR BOOSTER SHOT AND TELL U ABOUT YOUR DECISION ANDOW H YOU FELT AFTER THAT? GUEST: I HAVE PERSONALLY RECEIVED MY BOOERST SHOT AND FOR ME IT WAS VERY EASY BASED OTHN E DATA THAT I HAVE SEEN WHERE THE VACCINES HEAV DECREASED EFFEIVCTENESS OVER TIME AS WELL AS WHAT I’M DEANGLI WITH A DELTA VARIANT, IWAT S EASY FOR ME. I MUST SAY IT WAS REALLAY SEAMLESS PROCESST A THE LOCAL PHARMACY AND I JUSTAD H NO SIDE EFFES.CT VERY HAPPY TO GET IT. MARIA: GREAT TO HEAR IT AND GREAT TO SEE YOU DNGOI WELL. ED: IT IS IMPORTANT TO SHARE THE PERSONAL STORIES BECAUSE IT’S VERY PERSONAL TO EVERYONE. IT’S AN IMPORTANT DECISION. THANK YOU FOR SHARING

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Massachusetts doctor explains why FDA should expand eligibility for Pfizer COVID-19 booster

Updated: 5:45 PM EST Nov 9, 2021

Pfizer and BioNTech are seeking emergency use authorization for their COVID-19 vaccine booster for all adults.

BOSTON —

Pfizer and BioNTech are seeking emergency use authorization for their COVID-19 vaccine booster for all adults.

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