Burr Statement on CDC and FDA COVID-19 Booster Shot Recommendations

Today, Senator Richard Burr (R-NC), Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, released the following statement on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) recommendations for a Pfizer-BioNTech booster shot:

“I’m glad Americans are going to be able to get vaccine boosters to help end this pandemic. The Administration was right to have the CDC follow the FDA’s lead and the science to broaden the CDC advisory panel’s booster shot recommendations to include workers at higher risk of exposure to coronavirus, such as teachers and frontline health care workers.

“I am deeply concerned, however, that this process has been overshadowed by confusion created by the actions of this Administration. For months, I, along with many others, have been asking the Administration how they’re preparing for boosters and have gotten inconsistent answers. The lack of a clear plan and consistent message is inexcusable.

“The Administration needs to focus its efforts on improving vaccination rates and booster uptake. On breakthrough cases and the need for booster shots, we need additional, better, and more timely data, so we can stop lagging behind other countries on decision-making. We should rapidly assess what information is needed for effective and efficient decision-making on boosters for the other two COVID-19 vaccines and the broader population and where we are in gathering that information.”

On Thursday, Senator Burr led a group of Senate leaders in a letter calling on White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator Jeffrey Zients to release an updated strategy to more effectively leverage vaccines and end the pandemic. You can read the full letter here.