Governor of Colorado Jared Polis And predecessor Food and Drug Administration On Sunday, Commissioner Scott Gottlieb criticized the federal health regulator for not expanding the eligibility criteria for COVID vaccine boosters.
“I have always been very frustrated with the puzzling news CDC And the FDA,” Polis said In the interview exist CBS information’ Face the country“The data is very clear, [the booster] Improve your personal protection level. “
The CDC and FDA recommend booster injections for those most vulnerable to COVID. this week, Pfizer asks the FDA All eligible adults are allowed to receive booster injections before the holidays.
Currently, people who are eligible for booster injections include people 65 years of age or older, people with underlying health conditions, and people in certain occupations or living environments.
However, Colorado, New Mexico, and California have decided to expand this eligibility criteria on their own to allow all eligible adults to seek injections.
Published by Polis Executive order On Wednesday announced that the entire state is at high risk of exposure to COVID, and urged all adult residents to receive a booster shot six months after receiving the vaccine Pfizer Or Moderna vaccine, or two months after receiving Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
Polis said on Sunday that intensified injections “can help improve the epidemiological situation in a particular state or in the entire country.” “Because some people are ready to roll up their sleeves and add extra protection, this can really have an impact on preventing the spread of the virus.”
Similarly, Gottlieb expressed regret for the way the federal government handled the shooting.
He said: “I think the confusing information surrounding boosters may end up being one of the biggest missed opportunities in this pandemic.” In the interview CBS News Face the country“We are now seeing very clear evidence that vaccine effectiveness will decline over time. The reasons for this may be different, but the trend is clear.”
Gottlieb pointed out that people receiving the COVID vaccine now “may be only 50% effective.” He added that getting a booster is the “fastest” way to improve its effectiveness and the population’s overall immunity.
Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
“We must not only look at how many people are vaccinated, but also look at the depth of immunity, how many people have a lot of remaining immune protection against this virus, and will become what we call the dead.-The ultimate host, but not Become someone who can infect and spread this virus,” Gottlieb said.
According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as of Sunday, approximately 29 million people in the United States have received a booster shot of the COVID vaccine since August 13.
Weekly newspaper Contacted the FDA and CDC for comments.
