US President Joe Biden has urged Americans over 65 and others vulnerable to COVID-19 to take the third dose of Pfizer’s vaccine. He also announced that he plans to do it himself as soon as he can.
“My message is short: if you are over 65 and received the Pfizer vaccine in January, February or March, take an extra dose,” Biden said in a speech at the White House. “It’s hard for me to admit it, but I also have more than 65, and they will give me an additional injection,” the president added.
Biden explained that the third dose of Pfizer vaccine, 6 months after the last injection, can also be given to all adults from particularly vulnerable groups, such as people with chronic diseases and those working in the health sector. In total, this is about 60 million people.
The American leader announced that a decision on possible additional doses for those vaccinated with Moderny and Johnson & Johnson would be announced shortly. However, he stressed that the decision on this matter remains with the experts.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has decided to recommend a third dose of Pfizer vaccine for the elderly and vulnerable; previously, the FDA did the same. At the same time, experts objected to the approval of a third dose for the entire population, pointing out the lack of data. However, the extension of the recommendation is not ruled out.
Biden also reiterated his estimate that in America, again over 2,000 with daily deaths from Covid-19, the “unvaccinated pandemic” continues, with an unvaccinated minority of Americans – about 70 million – wreaking havoc on the country, overcrowding hospitals and delaying economic recovery.