CDC Might Rethink 'Fully Vaccinated'

Booster shots could alter meaning of virus protection, Walensky says
By Bob Cronin,  Newser Staff
Posted Oct 22, 2021 2:33 PM CDT
CDC Might Rethink 'Fully Vaccinated'
CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky testifies on Capitol Hill in March.   (Greg Nash/Pool via AP, File)

With booster shots entering the picture, the meaning of being "fully vaccinated" against the coronavirus might have to be adjusted. Director Rochelle Walensky said Friday that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention "may need to update" its definition, Axios reports. At the moment, anyone two weeks past receiving their second mRNA dose or their Johnson & Johnson shot is considered fully vaccinated, per the Hill. There's been no change in terms yet, Walensky said, because everyone isn't eligible for a booster. "We will continue to look at this," she told reporters.

The White House said Friday that 70 million people in the US are eligible for boosters now, and another 120 million will be eligible in "coming months." Walensky had a recommendation for people who meet the requirements: "If you're eligible for a booster, go ahead and get your booster," she said. After approving a mix-and-match approach Thursday night, the director said the CDC is indifferent about which brand people choose for their booster shot. They can't go wrong, she said, because the Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson vaccines are all effective and "extraordinarily safe."

The booster shot campaign won't make mask requirements go away just yet, Walensky said on NBC's Today show. The number of new coronavirus infections caused by the delta variant is in decline, but 75,000 new cases and 1,200 deaths are still reported daily in the US, per the Hill. Those numbers need to come down more, she said, pointing out that 63 million people in the US haven't had a first dose of vaccine. In addition, Walensky said, "we're heading into winter where respiratory viruses generally do thrive." (More coronavirus vaccine stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X