“I am not at all concerned about the supply”

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director Dr Rochelle Walensky clarified her comments regarding the Covid-19 booster injections after telling the Atlantic Monday that she plans to be vaccinated against Covid, but wants to make sure those at higher risk get them first.

“I’m not at all concerned about the offer,” Walensky said on CNBC’s “The News with Shepard Smith”. “I know there were queues at pharmacies because people wanted to get their recall right away, so I just indicated that I didn’t want to be in a hurry on top of those who are over. 65 who maybe more at risk than me, and I’ll wait a week or two, and absolutely get mine. “

The CDC has approved an additional dose of Pfizer vaccine for people 65 years of age and older, adults with certain underlying health conditions, and frontline workers, including teachers, nurses and grocery store workers.

Host Shepard Smith also asked Walensky whether the vaccine approval process for children aged 5 to 11 should have been sped up or sped up, amid the increase in pediatric Covid hospitalizations.

Walensky told Smith it was an “important issue” that the agency was addressing “urgently”. She added that the process was a balance between getting a vaccine for children quickly, but also going through the due diligence of clinical trials to make sure the vaccine is safe and effective.

Pfizer and BioNTech announced that a lower dose of its Covid-19 vaccine is safe and generates a “robust” immune response in a clinical trial in children aged 5 to 11. The data, which included more than 2,200 children, will be submitted to the Food and Drug Administration and other health regulators “as soon as possible,” the companies said.

“The FDA will absolutely process this data urgently and as soon as it gives its clearance, if that is what it chooses to do, and we expect it to do so, then the CDC will absolutely give its recommendation. shortly after that, ”Walensky said. noted.