Doctor on FDA announcement of changes to COVID-19 vaccination guidelines
Updated: 5:01 PM EDT May 20, 2025
SEX ABUSE IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH. RIGHT NOW WE TURN TO FIVE ON YOUR HEALTH TONIGHT, A MAJOR CHANGE FOR MILLIONS OF AMERICANS EXPECTING TO GET A COVID 19 BOOSTER. THIS FALL, THE FDA ANNOUNCES THAT IT WILL ONLY APPROVE SHOTS FOR SPECIFIC HIGH RISK GROUPS, AND THOSE INCLUDE. YOU’RE FAMILIAR WITH IT, RIGHT? ADULTS OVER THE AGE OF 65 AND PEOPLE WITH CERTAIN MEDICAL CONDITIONS. JOINING US RIGHT NOW IS DOCTOR TODD ELLERIN, CHIEF OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES. FAMILIAR FACE HERE AT CHANNEL 5 AT SOUTH SHORE HEALTH. SO LET’S START THERE. QUESTION ONE YOU’VE BEEN FOLLOWING THESE DEVELOPMENTS ALL DAY LONG, RIGHT? SO WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE FDA’S DECISION? ALL RIGHT. WELL, WHAT’S IMPORTANT IS THAT THESE THIS CHANGE STILL ALLOWS THE HIGHEST RISK PATIENTS TO GET THE COVID VACCINE. YOU LISTED THE GROUPS, AND THAT’S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING, HIGHEST RISK PATIENTS, MOST VULNERABLE, WILL STILL BE RECOMMENDED TO GET THE VACCINE. NOW, WHAT’S REALLY CHANGED 180 DEGREES IS THE FACT THAT PREVIOUSLY, THE FDA RECOMMENDED SIX MONTHS AND OLDER, EVERYONE GET THE VACCINE AT LEAST ONCE. SO THIS WOULD BE A MAJOR CHANGE. I THINK WHAT THEY’RE ALSO SAYING IS THEY WANT TO SEE THE PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES STUDY IN THE OTHER GROUPS, LIKE THE 50 TO 64 AGE, OTHERWISE HEALTHY. LET’S DO A CONTROLLED TRIAL AND SEE IF IT’S STILL BENEFICIAL. YOU KNOW, SO I THINK THAT’S THAT’S THE CHANGE. DO YOU THINK IT SUGGESTS THAT THERE’S SOME KIND OF SAFETY ISSUE WITH THE COVID VACCINE AT ALL? THERE IS NO ISSUES IN SAFETY. THIS VACCINE HAS BEEN GIVEN TO BILLIONS OF PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD, AND THERE’S NO SAFETY ISSUES. BUT AND WE ALSO KNOW THAT THE VACCINE HAS BEEN SHOWN TO DECREASE HOSPITALIZATION IN A WIDE RANGE OF ADULTS AND CHILDREN, DECREASED MORTALITY. BUT THERE’S BEEN HYBRID IMMUNITY NOW THAT WE’RE FIVE YEARS AFTER COVID HIT OUR SHORES, WE KNOW THAT MANY PEOPLE HAVE GOTTEN COVID MULTIPLE TIMES. THEY’VE GOTTEN THE VACCINE MULTIPLE TIMES. WHAT WE REALLY DON’T KNOW IS THE VACCINE STILL SIGNIFICANTLY EFFECTIVE IN PREVENTING SYMPTOMATIC ILLNESS AND HOSPITALIZATION IN THE OTHERWISE HEALTHY PERSON? THAT’S WHAT THE FDA WANTS TO SEE. SO LET ME GO 180 DEGREES OPPOSITE. IF WE’RE NOT CONCERNED ABOUT THE EFFICACY OF OF THE OF THE COVID VACCINE, IS IT A SUGGESTION THAT WE DON’T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT COVID ANYMORE? WE STILL HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT COVID. I WILL JUST TELL YOU, IT’S SPIKING RIGHT NOW IN ASIA AND WE’RE GOING TO SEE IT AGAIN. YOU KNOW THAT COVID IS ABLE TO SURVIVE OUR SUMMERS. AND OF COURSE WE SEE IT IN THE WINTER. SO IT’S NOT SOMETHING THAT’S GOING AWAY. BUT THE QUESTION IS DO HEALTHY CHILDREN AND ADULTS NEED THE VACCINE EVERY YEAR? AND ONE THING I WANT TO REMIND YOU, THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT. LAST YEAR, ONLY 10% OF KIDS UNDER THE AGE OF 12 ACTUALLY GOT THE BOOSTER, AND ONLY 50% OF OF THE HIGHEST RISK ADULTS OVER 65 GOT THE BOOSTER. SO WE’VE ALREADY SHOWN THAT WE’RE ABLE TO SURVIVE AND THRIVE EVEN WHEN MOST AMERICANS ARE NOT GETTING THE. IT’S NOT FAIR TO ASK YOU YES OR NO, BUT AS YOU SIT HERE RIGHT NOW, MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND, ARE YOU STILL RECOMMENDING THE THE COVID BOOSTER? I STILL RECOMMEND THE COVID BOOSTER. THE QUESTION IS WHEN THE THE FDA HAS ALREADY TOLD US WHAT THEY’RE THINKING RIGHT NOW. I WANT TO SEE WHAT THE CDC SAYS. AND IF THEY’RE IF THEY’RE MIRRORING THE FDA’S RECOMMENDATION, THEN IT’S LIKELY THAT WE’LL NO LONGER BE RECOMMENDING THE VACCINE
Doctor on FDA announcement of changes to COVID-19 vaccination guidelines
Updated: 5:01 PM EDT May 20, 2025
The FDA announced that it would only allow COVID-19 vaccinations for those 65 years of age and over and those with certain medical conditions. South Shore Health’s Dr. Todd Ellerin says people should still worry about COVID-19, but says many Americans have shown they can survive and thrive even when many have not received the COVID-19 booster shot. Ellerin says he still recommends the booster.
The FDA announced that it would only allow COVID-19 vaccinations for those 65 years of age and over and those with certain medical conditions.
South Shore Health’s Dr. Todd Ellerin says people should still worry about COVID-19, but says many Americans have shown they can survive and thrive even when many have not received the COVID-19 booster shot. Ellerin says he still recommends the booster.
