Pouch Director "Infection Possible Even After Vaccination When Antibodies Decline"
Vaccine Supply Likely to Become Scarcer If Booster Shots Confirmed
Half of US Adults Have Received at Least One Vaccine Dose
[Asia Economy New York=Correspondent Baek Jong-min] More than half of the adult population in the United States has received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, and it is expected that the decision on whether to administer a booster shot will be made around this fall. If the booster shot is confirmed, vaccine supply for countries with delayed vaccination such as Korea is expected to become more difficult.
Anthony Fauci, director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, appeared consecutively on NBC and ABC broadcasts on the 18th (local time) and elaborated, "Based on my experience, I expect to know (whether a booster shot is necessary) around the end of summer or the beginning of fall." Fauci explained that the decision on booster shot administration depends on when the vaccine's immune effect begins to weaken.
He explained, "When the level of antibodies, which are considered the result of immunity, starts to decline, we will begin to see patients with breakthrough infections who get COVID-19 despite being vaccinated."
Fauci stated that the necessity of a booster shot will be decided by health authorities such as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), not by pharmaceutical companies.
Previously, David Kessler, chief science officer for COVID-19 response at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and Albert Bourla, CEO of Pfizer, had hinted at the possibility of booster shot administration.
Fauci also predicted that the Johnson & Johnson (J&J) subsidiary Janssen COVID-19 vaccine, which had been suspended, would resume use with certain restrictions around the 23rd, when the CDC advisory committee, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), holds a meeting.
U.S. health authorities recommended suspension of the Janssen vaccine on the 13th after six cases of blood clots were reported among Janssen vaccine recipients. The CDC advisory committee convened the next day but postponed the decision on whether to use the Janssen vaccine.
Meanwhile, the CDC reported that as of that day, approximately 129.988 million adults aged 18 and over in the U.S., accounting for 50.4% of that age group, have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Among adults aged 18 and over, about 83.976 million people, or 32.5%, have completed vaccination.
Considering the entire population, about 131.247 million people, or 39.5%, have received at least one dose, and about 84.263 million people, or 25.4%, have completed vaccination.
The daily number of vaccine doses administered in the U.S. has increased to 3.5 million.
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