COVID-19 booster shots recommended for all, could begin Sept. 20, U.S. health officials say

The plan, spurred by the spread of the Delta variant, calls for an extra dose eight months after people get their second shot of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine.

SHARE COVID-19 booster shots recommended for all, could begin Sept. 20, U.S. health officials say
Pharmacy resident Rona Jin prepares to administer a dose of the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine at Mount Sinai Hospital in December.

Pharmacy resident Rona Jin prepares to administer a dose of the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine at Mount Sinai Hospital in December 2020.

Ashlee Rezin García/Archivo Sun-Times

U.S. health officials recommended Wednesday that all Americans get COVID-19 booster shots to shore up their protection amid the surging Delta variant and evidence that the vaccines’ effectiveness is falling.

La Voz Sidebar

Lea este artículo en español en La Voz Chicago, la sección bilingüe del Sun-Times.
la-voz-cover-photo-2.png

The plan, outlined by the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other top authorities, calls for an extra dose eight months after people get their second shot of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine. The doses could begin the week of Sept. 20.

Health officials said people who received the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine also probably will need extra shots. But they are awaiting more data and have yet to work out the details.

The plan is awaiting a Food and Drug Administration evaluation of the safety and effectiveness of a third dose, the officials said.

Health officials said it’s “very clear” the vaccines’ protection against infection wanes over time, and now, with the highly contagious Delta variant spreading rapidly, “We are starting to see evidence of reduced protection against mild and moderate disease.

“Based on our latest assessment, the current protection against severe disease, hospitalization and death could diminish in the months ahead.”

The Latest
The funds will help target a big problem for a city opening its doors to President Joe Biden and the Democratic National Convention in August. Just 17.94% of registered voters in suburban Cook County and 25.7% of registered voters in Chicago voted in the March 19 primary.
Playing time has dwindled for Tinordi, a physical defensive defenseman who was a pleasant surprise for the Hawks last season but hasn’t found nearly as much success without Connor Murphy.
His surgeons spent 10 hours transplanting his new lungs and liver in September. Six months after the operation, Dr. Gary Gibbon remains cancer-free, able to breathe on his own and celebrated his 69th birthday on Wednesday.
The lawsuit challenges Illinois’ counting of mail-in-ballots after election day, and has potential impact in this presidential election year.
Donald Trump is selling $60 Bibles, and if Jesus had not been resurrected, he most certainly would be rolling over in his grave.