COVID-19 booster shot not needed right now for vaccinated patients, CDC and FDA say

Fully vaccinated adult patients do not need a COVID-19 booster shot at this time, according to a joint statement by the CDC and FDA.

The statement comes as health officials are increasingly concerned about the COVID-19 Delta variant and its effect on non-vaccinated patients.

In early July, Pfizer and BioNTech announced they are conducting clinical tests to determine the benefits of a third dose, but officials said they "anticipate that a third dose will boost those antibody titers even higher."

The joint CDC and FDA statements said that fully vaccinated patients 12 and older do not need a booster shot at the moment. The statement read in full:

The United States is fortunate to have highly effective vaccines that are widely available for those aged 12 and up. People who are fully vaccinated are protected from severe disease and death, including from the variants currently circulating in the country such as Delta. People who are not vaccinated remain at risk. Virtually all COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths are among those who are unvaccinated. We encourage Americans who have not yet been vaccinated to get vaccinated as soon as possible to protect themselves and their community. Americans who have been fully vaccinated do not need a booster shot at this time. FDA, CDC, and NIH are engaged in a science-based, rigorous process to consider whether or when a booster might be necessary. This process takes into account laboratory data, clinical trial data, and cohort data – which can include data from specific pharmaceutical companies, but does not rely on those data exclusively. We continue to review any new data as it becomes available and will keep the public informed. We are prepared for booster doses if and when the science demonstrates that they are needed.