U.S. vaccine advisers unanimously favor firing of Pfizer / BioNTech after approval

August 30 (Reuters) – A U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advisory group unanimously recommended the Pfizer Inc (PFE.N) and BioNTech SE COVID-19 vaccine for people under 16 years or more, an important step this could help speed up vaccine mandates in the United States.

The Food and Drug Administration last week gave full approval to the vaccine that was previously available under the agency’s (US) emergency use permit, which had allowed Americans to be fired quickly. .

Health officials hope the formal approval and recommendation of the CDC will encourage more Americans to get vaccinated. With full FDA approval, some companies and states have begun demanding vaccination against COVID-19.

Vaccination rates remain low in many parts of the United States, contributing to a large increase in hospitalizations due to the Delta variant of the highly contagious coronavirus.

Some members of the group said increasing vaccinations before the fall season was critical to getting children back to school safely.

“Anyone who has to deal with a child who is not old enough to be vaccinated should be vaccinated for the benefit of their children,” said Dr. Helen Keipp Talbot, an infectious disease specialist who was part of the group.

Regulators have authorized a third dose of Pfizer / BioNTech and Modern (MRNA.O) vaccines for those with weak immune systems, and the U.S. government has said it plans to make booster doses available to more Americans in September. .

CDC advisors are considering a focus on promoters that focus on preventing serious illness among those most at risk (long-term caregivers, other older adults, and health care workers), similar to the original release. of vaccines.

CDC staff presented available data on the need for reinforcements and said that at this time it may be difficult to determine whether immunity to prior vaccination decreases over time or whether vaccines are less able to prevent vaccination. highly transmissible Delta variant infection.

Several members of the group expressed concern over the announcement of the booster policy in the White House beginning in September, even before the vaccine advisory group had seen the evidence or determined that this campaign was necessary. . Read more

Members of the vaccine advisory working group, which is shaping the agency’s approach to promoters, stressed that the top U.S. priority remains receiving shots against the unvaccinated.

Another meeting is scheduled for mid-September to discuss the drivers.

At Monday’s meeting, the CDC reiterated that the benefits of the Pfizer vaccine outweigh the potential risks associated with the shots.

New Zealand on Monday reported its first death related to the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine after a woman suffered from myocarditis, a type of inflammation of the heart muscle that is a rare known side effect of the vaccine. read more Health officials said other factors may have contributed to his death.

CDC said there were no deaths among young American adults who developed myocarditis after receiving the Pfizer / BioNTech vaccine.

Reports from Manas Mishra to Bengaluru; Edited by Paul Simao and Bill Berkrot

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