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WASHINGTON – The director of the National Institutes of Health said a government advisory group’s decision to limit Pfizer COVID-19 booster injections to Americans 65 and older as well as those at high risk of serious illness is a preliminary step and predicts wider approval for most Americans “in the coming weeks.”
Dr Francis Collins told “Fox News Sunday” that the panel’s recommendation Friday was correct based on a “snapshot” of the data available on the effectiveness of Pfizer’s two-step regimen over time. But he said real-time data from the United States and Israel continues to show diminishing effectiveness among larger groups of people who will need to be processed soon.
Collins, who also appeared on CBS’s “Face the Nation,” said: “I think there will be a decision in the coming weeks to expand the boosters beyond the roster they approved on Friday. . “
Dr Anthony Fauci, who is President Joe Biden’s chief medical adviser, on Sunday praised the advisory board’s plan to cover “a good chunk” of Americans. But he stressed that “this is not the end of the story” based on changing data and said the recommendations will likely be expanded in the coming weeks or months.
The Food and Drug Administration will review the advisory group’s advice and make its own decision, likely within days. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is also expected to weigh in this week.
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MORE ON THE PANDEMIC:
– Same goal, different paths: US and EU seek maximum vaccination rates
– Daily cases of coronavirus in Florida decline last month
– UN uses honor system to check vaccinations for New York Meet
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– See AP coverage on https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic
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HERE’S WHAT ELSE IS:
KATMANDU, Nepal – Tens of thousands of worshipers filled the ancient palace courtyard in the heart of the Nepalese capital to celebrate the Indra Jatra feast, marking the return of the festival season in the Himalayan nation after its reduction due of the pandemic.
Kumari, a young girl worshiped by both Hindus and Buddhists in Nepal as a living goddess, left her temple palace for the first time in two years and was driven to central Kathmandu in a wooden chariot pulled by worshipers.
The Nepalese president and top officials also lined up for his blessing, along with tens of thousands of others. Last year’s festivals were cut back amid an increase in coronavirus cases.
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MACKINAW CITY, Mich – A popular Halloween-themed event held annually in northern Michigan was canceled this fall due to concerns over the coronavirus, including the growing number of cases of the delta variant in the region.
Fort Fright at Colonial Michilimackinac in Mackinaw City was scheduled for October 8-9.
The event is drawn from a collection of short stories published by Mackinac State Historic Parks and based on French-Canadian folk tales brought to the Straits of Mackinac region by travelers during the height of the French fur trade.
Staffing issues and concerns about volunteer accommodation also played a role in the decision to cancel the event, organizers said.
Colonial Michilimackinac is an 18th century fort and fur trading village located along the Straits of Mackinac. It was reconstructed on the basis of historical maps and more than 60 years of archaeological excavations.
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