FDA rejects Pfizer’s booster for general population, approves for people 65+

(KRDO) -- Friday, the United States Food and Drug Administration rejected Pfizer's request for booster shots for all Americans.

However, the FDA recommended booster doses of Pfizer's vaccine for people 65 and older and those at high risk of severe COVID-19.

The company initially recommended all Pfizer recipients receive a booster shot six months after their second dose. Health officials were largely divided over the decision and ultimately decided against recommended an extra dosage.

Governor Jared Polis released a statement following the decision:

This recommendation helps remove a deadly impediment that stood in the way of Colorado getting highly effective boosters out to nursing homes residents, and we are planning to start next week as soon as the FDA decision is finalized. Nearly everyone living in nursing homes got the Pfizer vaccine, because it was available first and we prioritized the elderly and most vulnerable, and now we will rapidly roll out the booster to save lives and help end the pandemic. This recommendation for a booster should cover everyone in Colorado who received a Pfizer vaccine at least six months ago.

This recommendation to approve boosters six months after the second dose for people 65 and older, those considered high-risk, and those who work in frontline essential professions like teaching and healthcare that put them at greater risk of contracting COVID-19 is overdue but welcome news. Depending on the exact wording of the finalization of the decision, we expect that the recommendation for the booster will cover essentially everyone who received the Pfizer vaccine at least six months ago, as the vaccine was only available to those 65 and up, our frontline essential workers including healthcare workers, and teachers including childcare workers for their first dose during February, and in early March opened up to include first doses for those age 60 and up along with frontline workers. The recommended timing of the booster is about six months after the second dose.

We want to end the pandemic now and our state is ready to administer the booster to our seniors in long-term care and residential facilities starting as soon as next week. The United States can get more people protected with the first two doses, give effective boosters, and export the safe and effective vaccine to countries abroad - this is not a time to pick just one - our country has enough safe and effective vaccine for all three

Governor Jared Polis

The Biden administration had previously announced a plan to being administering booster doses to the general population beginning the week of September 20.

For now, officials say it's "unclear" who needs to receive booster dosages and who doesn't.