‘It Was a Close Call’: CDC Director Defends Overruling One of Advisory Panel’s Recommendations on Booster Shots

CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky defended her decision on recommending booster shots during a Fox News interview Friday.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention signed off on booster shots for millions of Americans, but while the advisory panel recommended shots for a number of key groups, they rejected one recommendation that ultimately Walensky approved. Per NPR:

The panel on Thursday voted against saying that people can get a booster if they are ages 18 to 64 years and are health-care workers or have another job that puts them at increased risk of being exposed to the virus.

But Walensky disagreed and put that recommendation back in, noting that such a move aligns with an FDA booster authorization decision earlier this week. The category she included covers people who live in institutional settings that increase their risk of exposure, such as prisons or homeless shelters, as well as health care workers.

Fox News’ Bret Baier asked Walensky Friday, “Are we following the science with this decision that you have made about booster shots?”

“We are absolutely following the science,” she responded.

“I have attended FDA advisory committee that occurred on Friday and listened to hours of scientists. I attended and tuned in to hours-long deliberation and discussion from a stellar group of academicians that were part of our advisory panel at the CDC,” Walensky said.

Regarding questions about the FDA advisory council rejecting a more widespread plan for booster shots, Walensky noted they unanimously approved boosters for seniors and at-risk people.

That was unanimous on the FDA advisory council and their guidance and their safety and efficacy guidance suggested and regulatorily approved the authorization for use in people with occupational exposure. It came to our CDC advisory board and we deliberated on it. It was a close call. As you noted, the vote was 6-9. But we had a unanimous vote from the FDA, we had a close call from the CDC and following the science, following the safety, I made the decision to go along with what the FDA said and with what many of what our advisory board said.

You can watch above, via Fox News.