The federal government does not intend to change its definition of "fully vaccine" to include booster shots, despite the substantial additional protection they provide against the omicron variant, health officials said Wednesday.
Visitors to a museum in New York are required to be vaccined against COVID-19.
The images are from the same company.
The definition of fully vaccineed is not changing, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The initial vaccine series of two doses provides protection against severe illness and death, according to the White House Covid-19 coordinator.
Early studies show the initial vaccine series is not enough to prevent infections from the omicron variant, but booster doses give added protection.
Changing the definition of "fully vaccined" would have implications for workplace vaccine mandates, as well as businesses and events that require proof of full vaccine.
There are no plans to change the definition of fully vaccineed.
The number is big.
34.7% of the population. The percentage of Americans who have received a booster shot is 37.7%, including 37.7% of adults and 49.0% of those ages 50 and older. The Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine was only authorized for booster shots for those ages 12 to 15 by the federal government on Monday, and more Americans can now get boosters if they get a second dose within five months.
Federal officials have made comments against the definition change in the past, but Walensky and Zients comments are stronger. The CDC director said in October that the agency may need to update its definition of fully vaccineed in the future, and Dr. Anthony Fauci said in December that the term was open for discussion. In December, the company's CEO Uur ahin said that the vaccine with Pfizer should be considered a three-vaccine series, instead of a two-vaccine one.
What to watch for.
Even without the CDC changing its definition, a growing number of businesses and schools require the additional shots. More than a dozen universities have imposed new booster requirements, and a growing number of restaurants are now requiring proof of a booster shot to dine there, including those run by Danny Meyer. California is one of the places where healthcare workers are required to have booster requirements.
Will Omicron change if it is fully vaccinated? The CEO of BioNTech says the full vaccine regime is not 2. (Forbes)
Fauci says that a new definition of full vaccine is not ruled out.
Scientists in the U.K. say that the Covid Booster Shot increases vaccine effectiveness by up to 75%.
Coverage and live updates on the coronaviruses.
