THATS ISPORTS. HAVE A RHONDELLA: RHONDELLA: GREAT DAY. YOU, TOO,OB — HAVE A GREAT DAY. RHONDEA:LL YOU, TWO. — YOU, TOO, BOB. AN FDA PANEL VOTES AGAINST DISTRIBUTING BOOSTER SHOTS TO HEALTHY AMERICANS WHO RECEIVED PFIZER’S COVID VACCE.IN JENNIFER: HERE TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS IS DR. MARK PASTERNACK, THE UNIT CHIEFF O PEDIATRIC INFECTIOUS DEAISSE AT MASS GENERAL HOSPITAL FOR CHILDREN. THE DEBATE ABOUT EXTRA DOSES SEEMED TO DIVIDE THE MICEDAL COMMUNITY, BUT IT DIDN’T DIVIDE THIS PANEL. THEY VOTED 16-2 TO REJECT THE WHITE HOUSE PLAN TO DELIVER SHOTS THIS FALL. AND TO LIMIT SHOTS TO THOSE 65 AND OLDER. WHAT CAN YOU TELL US AUTBO THE REASONS? >> THE REANSO IS PRIMALYRI THAT THE EXISTING STRATEGY SEEMS TO BE EFFECTIVE. THE CURRENT VACCEIN PROTOCOLS HAVE BEEN VERY EFFECTIVE AT PREVENTING SEVERE ILLNESS AND PREVENTING HOSPITALIZATIONS AND GREATLY REDUCINFAG TAL CASES. VIRTUALLY EVERYONE IN THE HOSPITAL THESE DAYS WITH SEVERE COVERT INFECTIONS HAS NOT BEEN IMMUNIZED. ALTHOUGH ANTIBODY TITERS HAVE DECLINED SOMEWHAT SINCE IMMUNIZATION HAS BEEN UNDERTAKEN, THE GOAL IS NOT JUST ANTIBODY TITERS BUT WORRYING ABOUT CLINICAL OUTCOMES. THE VACCINES HAVE SHOWN THEMSELVES TO BE QUITE PROTECTIVE AND EFFECTIVE. RHONDELLA: CLEARLY YOU UNDERSTAND THE ARGUMENT ON BOTH SIDES MORE THAN MOST. DO YOU AGREE WITH THE DECISION? >> I DO FOR SEVERAL REASONS. FIRST, THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A QUESTION THAT BOOSTER SHOTS WOULD BE WITHHELD FROM INDIVIDUALS WHO DO NOT NATURALLY MAKE HIGH LEVELOFS AIBNTODIES, SO THAT AGING INDIVIDUALS, INDIVIDUALS OWH ARE IMMUNOCOMPROMISED, FRONT-LINE WORKERS, AND FIRST RESPONDERS WHO ARE L INCLINED TO BE LISTED FOR BOOSTER SHOTS, THE DATA ON BOOSTER SHOT TOLERANCE, THE SAFETY FACTOR AMONG HEALTHY, YOUNGER INDIVIDUALS, HAS NOT BEEN WELL STUDIED. THE BIGGEST EXPERIENCE WITH BOOSTER DOSES HAS COME FROM ISRAEL, WHERE IT WAS LIMITED TO INDIVIDUALS OVER 60. WEDIVIDUALS OVER 60. DO NOT HAVE A LOT OF EXPERIENCE IMMUNIZING YOUNGER, HEALTHIER PEOP WLEITH THE BOOSTER DOSE. THERE ARE VERY RARE BUT SERIOUS ATTENTIONAL SIDE EFFECTS OF THE BOOSTE R. WE WANT TO BE SURE WE ARE GETTING A SAFETY PROFILE CONSISTENT WITH WIDESPREAD USE. THE EUS OF BOOSTER SHOTS EVEN IN ISRAEL, WHERE IT WAS STUDIED, WAS BASED ON SHORT-TERM FOLLOWPS, SO THE STAYING POWER OF A BOOSTER DOSE IS NOT WELL UNDERSTOOD YET. E QUESTIONS SEEM TO OUTWEIGH THE ANSWERS AT THIS STAGE, AND THE CURRENT PROGRAM IS WORKING. I THINK CAUTION IS TOTALLY REASONABLE WITH THE UNDERSTANDING WE WI PROTECT OUR HIGHEST RISK POPULATION IN A TIMELY FASHION. JENNIFER: THAT MAKES SENSE. SOME STUDIES HAVE SUGGESTED PROTECTION FROM THE VACCINES IS STARTING TO DECLINE. IF WE DON’T NEED A BOOSTER SHOT NOW, WILL WE NEED ONE SOON? >> HA TT IS A GREAT QUESTION, AND THE ANSWER IS A DEFINITE MBEAY. I THINK A LOT MORE FORECAST TO BE DONE TOIN WHAT SHOULD GO INTO A BOOSTER DOSE. SHOULD WE BE USING THE CURRENT VACCINE FORMULATIONS? SHOULD WE BE USING A BOOSTER FORMULATION THAT CONTAINS DELTA VIRUS PROTECONTI SPECIFICALLY OR OTRHE VARIANTS THAT MAY EMERGE? I THINK THERE ARE A LOT OF QUESTIONS THAT NEED TO BE ANSWERED. DO NOT WANT TO BINE A POSITION WHERE EVERY SIX WEEKS, EIGHT WEEKS OR THREE TO FOUR MONTHS, A NEW BOOSTER S HATOE B DEVELOPED BECAUSE THE LOGISTICS AND POLITICS OF IMMUNIZING LARGE NUMBERS OF PEOPLE IS REALLY CHALLENGING, SO WE SHOULD REALLY HAVE OUR DUCKSIN LED UP NICELY BEFORE WE EMBARK AON NEW BOOSTER PROTOCOL. I THINK CAREFUL MONITORING IS INGO ON REGULARLY, AND I THINK IF THE ND FOEER A BOOSTER CONTINUES OR GROWS, THEN THE GOVERNMENTIL WL DEFINITELY PROCEED ALONG THOSE LINES. RHONDEA: QUICKLY, WE KNOW THOSE WHARO IMMUNOCOMPROMISED ARE ALREADY ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE A BOOSTER SHOT. THAT HAS NOT CHANGED, CORRECT? >> THAT IS CORRECT. IT IS EXTREMYEL IMPORNTTA FOR PEOPLE WHO MEET THE CRITERIA TO PROCEED AND TBEO IMMUNIZED IN A TIMELY FASHION. JENNIFER ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING

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Video: Here’s why Boston doctor agrees with decision to limit Pfizer COVID-19 booster shots

Updated: 10:52 AM EDT Sep 18, 2021

Anchor/Reporter

An FDA advisory panel voted 16-2 to reject the White House’s plan to deliver COVID-19 booster shots to everyone this fall and unanimously chose to limit those shots to people who are 65 and older or at high risk of severe disease.

BOSTON —

An FDA advisory panel voted 16-2 to reject the White House’s plan to deliver COVID-19 booster shots to everyone this fall and unanimously chose to limit those shots to people who are 65 and older or at high risk of severe disease.

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