LSU Health's Dr. John Vanchiere talks about the availability of vaccine booster shots and the FDA ruling, not advising those boosters for the majority of Americans.

Late last week an advisory panel to the Food and Drug Administration recommended against a extra dose of a Covid-19 vaccine for most Americans at this time, but voted unanimously to recommend one to Americans who are 65 or older.

"The (FDA) committee said that the data supports boosters for those age 65 and older and those with high risk exposures, like healthcare workers and teachers," says Vanchiere, " This is the first step in a four step process. So, the committee made a recommendation, the FDA itself will evaluate that this week and they will make a recommendation. That will go to a CDC advisory committee. The CDC advisory committee will evaluate and refine their recommendation. And then it will come to the Louisiana Department of Health to make the final decision on boosters."

Here's everything LSU Health's Dr. Vanchiere said about COVID boosters:

After deliberation, the FDA's Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee voted 16 to 2 against administering a third dose - a booster - to anyone 16 and older.

"I wasn't surprised by the committee's recommendation," Vanchiere says, "The data is solid that those over 65 will benefit most from the booster. I think it's a good decision based on where we are in the pandemic at this point.

"If we open (boosters) up to everybody, we're going to be doing an awful lot of work for no medical benefit."

LOOK: Answers to 30 common COVID-19 vaccine questions

While much is still unknown about the coronavirus and the future, what is known is that the currently available vaccines have gone through all three trial phases and are safe and effective. It will be necessary for as many Americans as possible to be vaccinated in order to finally return to some level of pre-pandemic normalcy, and hopefully these 30 answers provided here will help readers get vaccinated as soon they are able.

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