Fauci: Americans may 'just have to deal with' more COVID boosters
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases director Dr. Anthony Fauci said that Americans will "just have to deal with" the prospect of getting more coronavirus booster shots.
Fauci made the statement on Sunday morning and said that the level of protection that the current coronavirus booster shots give to individuals will have to be monitored closely over the next several months.
"If it becomes necessary to get yet another boost, then we’ll just have to deal with it when that occurs," Fauci said.
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The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases director also said that he's "hoping" that a third mRNA shot will give longer-lasting protection.
"I’m hoping from an immunological standpoint that that third shot of an mRNA and the second shot of a J&J will give a much greater durability of protection than just the six months or so that we’re seeing right now," Dr. Fauci said.
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Intensive care unit nurse Sandra Lindsay, the first person in the United States to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, got her booster shot at New York’s Northwell Long Island Jewish Medical Center on Oct. 6. (Credit: Michael H Goldberg/@michaelhgoldberg via Storyful)
He added that it's possible that the booster shot could "dramatically" increase the level of protection.
"It's tough to tell because the third shot of an mRNA could not only do what we absolutely know it does, is it dramatically increased the level of protection. But from an immunological standpoint, it could very well increase the durability of protection by things that you can't readily measure by the level of antibodies that you might have a maturation of the immune system that would prolong the durability," Dr. Fauci said.
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Dr. Fauci was responding to a question from ABC's George Stephanopoulos asking if Americans should expect yearly booster shots.
For the time being, however, "official requirements" for being fully vaccinated are not changing.
"For official requirements, it’s still two shots of the mRNA and one shot of the J&J for the official determination of what’s required or not."
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