White House says 400,000 people so far got boosters at pharmacies
The Biden administration says another million Americans have made appointments to get the extra jab
The president delivers remarks and receives a COVID-19 booster shot in line with the CDC's and FDA's recommendations.
The Biden administration says more than 400,000 Americans received COVID-19 booster shots over the weekend just at pharmacies alone, and another million have signed up to get the extra jab after it was approved for seniors and high-risk people last week.
"Our planning and preparation on boosters have propelled a strong start," White House COVID-19 response coordinator Jeff Zients said during a briefing on Tuesday.
Jeff Zients, the White House's Covid-19 response czar. (Photo by Brendan Smialowski / AFP) (Photo by BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images) (Photo by BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images / Getty Images)
"For weeks, we worked with partners — including governors, pharmacies, doctors, and long-term care facilities — to get ready for boosters," Zients told reporters. "As a result, we were ready to get booster shots in arms on Friday, immediately following the FDA and CDC recommendations."
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U.S. health officials last week authorized the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus booster to be administered to certain Americans who received their second dose of the vaccine six months ago or longer.
The boosters are now available nationwide at 80,000 locations, including CVS Pharmacies and MinuteClinics, Walgreens, Walmart, Sam's Club, Kroger and elsewhere.
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CVS | CVS HEALTH CORP. | 54.65 | -1.16 | -2.08% |
| WBA | WALGREENS BOOTS ALLIANCE INC. | 9.33 | -0.13 | -1.37% |
| WMT | WALMART INC. | 82.43 | +0.24 | +0.29% |
| KR | THE KROGER CO. | 56.27 | -0.30 | -0.53% |
CDC director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said during the briefing that officials are paying careful attention to studies on other vaccines and the possibility of approving boosters for folks who took a different initial vaccine than Pfizer-BioNTech.
Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, Pool) (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, Pool / AP Newsroom)
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"We will continue to evaluate data as it becomes available in real time and with urgency, and update our recommendations to make sure that all of those at risk have the protection they need," Walensky said. "This includes those who received the Moderna and J&J vaccines as their primary vaccine and also those younger Americans who are not currently eligible for a booster dose."