The tides of medicine in the United States do not seem to be flowing in favor of President Joe Biden. Health experts have announced their opposition to administering a third dose of COVID-19 vaccines to everyone. Instead, they support giving a third dose of the Pfizer vaccine specifically to Americans over 65 or those at high health risk, but not to the general population. This is considered a setback for Biden, who was aiming to launch a booster shot campaign.
After a day of discussions, the advisory committee of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), composed of researchers, epidemiologists, and infectious disease specialists, made two decisions, according to a report from AFP on Saturday.
**Boosters Exclusively for Certain Groups**
These experts unanimously agreed on the need for a third dose for those aged 65 and older, as well as for individuals at risk of severe illness from the disease, six months after the second dose. They specified that this measure should also include caregivers among those at "high health risk." However, they also expressed concerns about potential side effects that could arise from a third dose if it were administered to the entire population, especially among younger individuals. Thus, they effectively opposed the booster shot campaign that the Biden administration had proposed.
**Heart Risks**
One of their major warnings was about heart risks, particularly expressing concerns regarding myocarditis risks among teenage boys and young adults. It is noteworthy that the committee's recommendations are not mandatory, but it is very rare for authorities to disregard them. In August, the Biden administration announced, in a decision that surprised many scientists in the country, the launch of a COVID booster shot campaign starting September 20 for all American adults who received their second dose eight months prior.
