Teachers or supermarket employees for the moment deprived of a third dose? A committee of American health experts on Thursday refused to include people exposed to the coronavirus in the course of their work, such as teachers or supermarket workers, in the beneficiaries of a 3rd dose of Pfizer's anti-Covid vaccine, despite the authorization the day before from the US Medicines Agency. This decision sowed further confusion over the recall campaign in the United States, which had been announced with great fanfare in mid-August by the government of Joe Biden, but whose scope has since been greatly reduced.
The Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) committee, however, has agreed to recommend a 3rd dose of Pfizer's vaccine for people over 65, as well as those between 18 and 64 with risk factors. to develop a severe form of the disease.
The head of the CDC, Rochelle Walensky, also signed these recommendations this Friday.
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On Wednesday, the Medicines Agency (FDA) had however urgently authorized this booster dose according to very broad criteria, including people frequently exposed to the virus because of their profession or their situation.
This definition made it possible to cover health workers or prisoners, had specified the interim chief of the FDA, Janet Woodcock.
But the CDC committee voted against the inclusion of this broad category, by a narrow majority (9 votes against, 6 votes in favor).
" It's too early "
The debates lasted for hours and several experts said they were "torn", reflecting the hesitations and divisions of the scientific community around the need for a third dose.
"It's too early," said Beth Bell, a committee member.
“In my opinion, the benefit of a booster dose is marginal at this stage” for this population.
The risk of myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle, in young men weighed heavily in the balance.
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In addition to concerns about the complexity of the implementation, experts also highlighted the lack of data available at the moment, while the two-dose vaccine is still proving very effective against hospitalizations today.
They agreed, however, that its effectiveness declines significantly over time in older people.
Approximately 13 million people aged 65 and over were vaccinated more than 6 months ago with Pfizer, and are therefore eligible to receive this booster dose.
Initially, the Biden administration announced that a massive vaccine booster campaign from Pfizer and Moderna would be launched from the week of September 20, for all Americans without distinction.
The FDA experts had already rejected this possibility last week.
