Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky is now saying that the agency plans to “pivot” its language regarding what it means to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
Responding to a question about why the CDC is not changing the definition of the phrase to include a booster dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, the health leader told reporters that it is working to “pivot the language to make sure that everybody is as up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines as they personally could be, should be, based on when they got their last vaccine.””So, importantly, right now, we’re pivoting our language. We really want to make sure people are up to date. That means if you recently got your second dose, you’re not eligible for a booster, you’re up to date. If you are eligible for a booster and you haven’t gotten it, you’re not up to date and you need to get your booster in order to be up to date,” she added.
It would be wise for the CDC not to alter the terms of the pandemic response further. An American journalist who began 2020 fully embracing the government recommendations, only to declare herself, “Done with covid,” now is speaking for a vast number of her fellow citizens.
Walensky’s follow-up comments to these statements are that the agency policies will align with the approach taken with influenza.
Walensky compared the COVID-19 vaccine to the flu shot, where patients aren’t considered ‘up to date’ until they receive a yearly shot. Those who do not receive a flu shot are not considered ‘up to date.”In public health, for all vaccines, we’ve talked about being up to date for your vaccines. Every year, you need a flu shot; you’re not up to date with your flu shot until you’ve gotten your flu shot for that year,’ the director said.However, the flu shot is voluntary, while COVID vaccinations have been mandated in much of the country in order to participate in most daily activities.
The CDC approach pairs with a recent Pfizer statement, that its vision for the Covid-19 vaccine is for an annual booster shot.
Pfizer Inc (PFE.N) Chief Executive Albert Bourla said on Saturday that an annual COVID-19 vaccine would be preferable to more frequent booster shots in fighting the coronavirus pandemic.Pfizer/BioNtech’s COVID-19 vaccine has shown to be effective against severe disease and death caused by the heavily-mutated Omicron variant but less effective in preventing transmission.With cases soaring, some countries have expanded COVID-19 vaccine booster programmes or shortened the gap between shots as governments scramble to shore up protection. read moreIn an interview with Israel’s N12 News, Bourla was asked whether he sees booster shots being administered every four to five months on a regular basis.”This will not be a good scenario. What I’m hoping (is) that we will have a vaccine that you will have to do once a year,” Bourla said.
It is clear that, along with European leaders, American ones are beginning to plan a pandemic exit strategy while clinging to as much power as they can retain on their way out.
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