Last week, the FDA and CDC recommended single COVID-19 booster shots of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for certain populations, six months after receiving the second dose of the Comirnaty vaccine.
White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator Jeffrey Zients said more than 400,000 eligible citizens had received their booster shots over the weekend at pharmacies alone.
Zients stated, “For weeks, we worked with partners – including governors, pharmacies, doctors, and long-term care facilities – to get ready for boosters… Our planning and preparation on boosters have propelled a strong start.”
CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said a report published in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) found that the Pfizer-BioNTech booster shot is well tolerated so far.
Dr. Walensky added that the side effects seen after the booster dose were similar to those observed following the second dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine and “were mostly mild or moderate and short-lived.”