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WASHINGTON – The director of the National Institutes of Health said a government advisory group 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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