CDC Panel Backs Pfizer Booster Dose for People Ages 65 and Older
- Walensky overrules agency’s advisers in backing wider use
- Director says decision was designed to optimize health in U.S.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention adopted the use of booster shots in the U.S. for people at high risk of contracting or falling seriously ill from Covid-19, overruling a narrower recommendation from the agency’s advisers and clearing the way for a widespread vaccination campaign.
Millions of Americans who were immunized with the Pfizer Inc.-BioNTech SE vaccine at least six months ago should receive a booster dose, including those aged 65 or older, those in long-term health care facilities and those aged 50 to 64 with underlying medical conditions, the agency said in a statement. People aged 18 to 49 with medical conditions and those who are at high-risk for being exposed to the virus at their workplaces or elsewhere may also receive a third dose.