COVID Cases In Children Continue To Increase As Officials Debate Need For Booster Shots
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Cases of COVID-19 in children continue to increase and on Monday the battle over the need for booster shots got more complicated a week before the president said they'd be available. An expert opinion was published on Monday saying boosters aren't necessary.
There are a lot of conflicting views on the need for COVID boosters. An FDA advisory panel could weigh in on Friday, but many in the scientific community aren't waiting for an official verdict.
The latest shot in the booster battle comes from The Lancet, a review from an international group of scientists, including some from the FDA.
It says the average person doesn't need a COVID-19 booster yet, that the current vaccine remains highly effective against severe diseases.
But the Biden Administration has been in favor of boosters as long as they're cleared by regulators.
"There remains uncertainty from the federal government," New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said.
Gov. Murphy said despite conflicting views on the need for boosters, New Jersey is already gearing up to provide the additional shots.
"We are working hard to ensure that we will be able to meet what we anticipate will be very high demand," Murphy said.
While New Jersey's vaccination rate is among the highest in the country, COVID transmissions have increased for the first time in more than a month.
Health officials say it's too early to know if it's related to children going back to school nationwide.
There were more than 750,000 confirmed cases of the coronavirus in kids between Aug. 5 and early September.
The Pfizer vaccine is already authorized for ages 12 and up and is widely expected to be approved for emergency use in younger kids this fall.
"You could potentially have a vaccine available to children aged 5 to 11 by Halloween if everything goes well," former FDA commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb said.
Dr. Gottlieb, who's on the board of Pfizer, thinks COVID vaccines will be mandated for students.
"I would expect this eventually to be required as part of a childhood immunization schedule," Gottlieb said.
It's unclear how many shots of the COVID vaccine would be needed for children.
