(WXYZ) — The definition of “fully vaccinated” for COVID-19 could change. That’s according to the nation’s leading infectious disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci.
Currently, the term fully vaccinated means that a person has received two doses of the mRNA COVID-19 vaccine – either from Pfizer or Moderna. Or, they’ve gotten Johnson & Johnson’s one-shot dose. Now Dr. Fauci said that this definition could - and I quote -“without a doubt change” and that a full and complete regimen for COVID-19 could potentially be defined as three doses of an mRNA vaccine or two doses of Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine.
I believe the definition of fully vaccinated will evolve because of scientific evidence. Right now, research shows that our vaccines are waning.
The data initially showed the elderly were losing vaccine protection, but now we’re seeing it across all age groups. While most healthy people are protected against hospitalization and death, there are plenty of folks who are getting symptoms when infected. Older folks and those with underlying health conditions are now at high risk for severe disease. That’s why booster shots are recommended for people 18 and up.
Studies found they amp up virus-fighting antibodies and provide high protection rates against asymptomatic disease – even from the highly contagious Delta variant. It’s not surprising that the term fully vaccinated could be redefined in the future to include booster shots.
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