Santa Barbara County Public Health preparing for boosters once approved by FDA

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - Public Health Director Van do Reynoso joined NewsChannel 3 Midday to provide an update on Santa Barbara County's response to the pandemic.

U.S. government advisers will debate Friday if there’s enough proof that a booster dose of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine is safe and effective. It's the first public step toward deciding which Americans may get an extra dose and when.

The Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday posted much of the evidence that it will ask outside experts to consider at Friday's meeting. But the agency struck a cautious tone in reviewing the data and discussing the rationale for boosters.

That careful approach is notable given that White House officials have been previewing a booster campaign that they hoped to begin next week.

In Santa Barbara County, public health has seen a slight increase in vaccination rates over the last few weeks.

Van do Reynoso joined NewsChannel 3 as part of a weekly interview series to share information about the pandemic with the public.