White House chief medical adviser Dr Anthony Fauci, on Sunday, said that a decision not to recommend third-shot booster vaccinations for Americans is “not the end of the story”. This statement comes a couple of days after a scientific panel appeared to change the Biden administration‘s plan for fighting the deadly coronavirus.
Dr Fauci also said that he believes that the United States will witness a million coronavirus deaths. This comes as the Delta variant continues to wreak havoc, causing the spike in cases. Last week at least one in 500 Americans fell prey to the pandemic.
US President Joe Biden had earlier announced that America will be going forward with the “third jab strategy”.
“I don’t think they made a mistake,” Fauci told CNN’s State of the Union.
“… I think people need to understand that this is not the end of the story.”
“But people need to realize that data is coming in, literally on a daily and weekly basis, and they’re going to continue to look at this literally in real time,” Dr Fauci added.
“It is entirely conceivable and maybe likely that ultimately the proper regimen for protection, optimal protection and durability of protection would be more than just the prime and the boost followed by three to four weeks, that it might actually entail a third boost,” he added.
According to studies, most vaccinated Americans are in favour of a booster shot. While the FDA panel recommended the third shot for those over 65 and at high risk of contracting severe COVID-19.
Even though the FDA panel’s 16-2 vote is not final, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will be taking the final call on it.
However, the voting on Friday by scientific advisers to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) against a routine third shot was seen as a rebuke to Biden’s plan.
Earlier in July, Dr Fauci said that he did not believe in a third booster. But in recent years, he appeared to lean towards it.