AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF)– 55 percent of Americans are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Now the CDC is recommending immunocompromised people get a third booster dose of the Pfizer vaccine. Doctors say they are concerned about people who do not fall into the immunocompromised category getting the shot anyway.
When you go to a clinic or pharmacy to get the booster, you do not have to show any proof that you are immunocompromised.
“I have patients who are going to pharmacies and they are getting a booster dose, and they do not meet criteria for booster dose. This is concerning to me,” Newnan Family Medicine, Dr. Cecil Bennett said.
Doctors say it’s too easy to get the third dose.
“I believe pharmacies have a responsibility to ensure that whoever they give a booster dose to actually qualify, it’s not just a matter of a patient telling them that they quality,” Dr. Bennett said.
“There’s a reason that three million people approximately in the United States have already received a booster that they do not quality underneath the immunocompromised tab,” Dr. Joshua Wyche of AU Health said.
They say if you do not meet the criteria, getting any vaccine or medication is risky behavior. Doctors say we don’t know the effectiveness or the risks.
“The last thing we want to do is to give an additional dose of a vaccine to someone who doesn’t need it,” Dr. Bennett said.
Friday, the FDA will meet to review data and decide whether or not they will approve a booster shot for people who are not immunocompromised.
If the FDA approves the shot Friday, the CDC will meet over the weekend to discuss guidelines moving forward.
“Wait for the data to come out Friday and be evaluated by the experts so we can see the safety and effectiveness, that risk versus benefit, in a general population,” Dr. Wyche said. “And let’s let that recommendation be made before you’re running out there to get that booster dose.”