(US) FDA approves Covid Pfizer booster (3rd shot) for Seniors 65+....

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The FDA has authorized booster doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for specific populations, including individuals aged 65 and older, immunocompromised individuals, health care workers, and those aged 18 to 64 at high risk of severe COVID-19. The discussion highlights the complexity of medical terminology, such as "metabolic syndrome," which affects a significant portion of the U.S. adult population. There is a debate regarding the necessity of COVID-19 vaccination for healthy children aged 12 to 15, with the UK's Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) suggesting that the health benefits do not outweigh the potential risks for this age group. The JCVI emphasizes the need for ongoing safety data review while considering the impact of illness on children's education.
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jim mcnamara said:
Summary:: FDA approved today 22--Sep-2021 booster shots (Pfizer COVID vaccine) for seniors 65+, immunocompromised, and health care workers

https://www.fda.gov/news-events/pre...biontech-covid-19-vaccine-certain-populations
The second category is "individuals 18 through 64 years of age at high risk of severe COVID-19". That's the same language describing the category that was allowed early access to the vaccine in March. It isn't just "immunocompromised". It March, it was anyone with at least two of about 11 factors that made COVID especially dangerous - thing like diabetes, kidney disease, obesity, and immunocompromised.
 
@.Scott
You are correct I did not exactly specify the entire population. Thanks.

I think it confuses non-medical people and sometimes me as well when we start using terms like metabolic syndrome, Addisons disease, PASC( post-acute sequelae SARS-CoV-2 infection ), etc. You are free to disagree. :smile:

Acronyms abound in medical-ese.
 
jim mcnamara said:
terms like metabolic syndrome, ...
I think "metabolic syndrome" needs to become part of the vernacular.
From the CDC:
... by 2012, more than a third of all US adults met the definition and criteria for metabolic syndrome agreed to jointly by several international organizations.
Or perhaps it is enough to say "get fat and you'll die much sooner".
 
Meanwhile at the other end of the scale in the UK
JCVI indicated that jabs for this age group is not justified but the government advisors are still rolling it out….so far.

“For otherwise healthy 12 to 15 year old children, their risk of severe COVID-19 disease is small and therefore the potential for benefit from COVID-19 vaccination is also small.

The JCVI’s view is that overall, the health benefits from COVID-19 vaccination to healthy children aged 12 to 15 years are marginally greater than the potential harms.”

“Taking a precautionary approach, this margin of benefit is considered too small to support universal COVID-19 vaccination for this age group at this time.

The committee will continue to review safety data as they emerge.”


The emphasis seems top be to stop kids having more time off sick damaging their education further.


https://www.theguardian.com/society...itable-unvaccinated-children-will-catch-covid
 
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