CDC Says Pfizer's Touted Booster Shot Not Necessary

In response to the ongoing spread of the COVID-19 Delta variant, Pfizer is conducting research to advise a booster shot for fully vaccinated Americans, despite the vaccine's strong response to the Delta variant after complete dosage.

While Pfizer and BioNTech currently advises that a booster shot be taken to help immune responses stay strong six months after complete inoculation, there is no mandate for recipients of the Pfizer vaccine to receive the booster shot — with a 95% efficacy rate against the COVID-19 virus.

The CDC has yet to advise the need for a booster shot to protect against the Delta variant, even as the Delta variant now claims half of COVID-19 cases in the U.S.

The news of a potential booster shot for COVID comes as a result of Sunday's announcement that Israel will start offering a third shot of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for adults at risk. The decision was predicated on data that suggested those who have had the vaccine had a less effective response several months after the second dose.

According to the Reuters report and response from the Israeli government:

"FDA, CDC, and NIH are engaged in a science-based, rigorous process to consider whether or when a booster might be necessary. This process takes into account laboratory data, clinical trial data, and cohort data – which can include data from specific pharmaceutical companies, but does not rely on those data exclusively … We are prepared for booster doses if and when the science demonstrates that they are needed.

"Pfizer and BioNTech are conducting tests to confirm this expectation," added the report.

Vaccination rates are sliding, and some predict there will be a spike in Delta variant infection rates this fall. However, a lack of transparency behind the efficacy of the vaccine and the total number of inoculations required to ensure immunization has caused many unvaccinated Americans to remain hesitant.

Currently there are an estimated 1,000 counties in the U.S. with less than 30% of its people fully vaccinated.