Fauci urges Americans ‘one last time’ to get COVID shots

Nov. 22, 2022 — White House officials on Friday urged Americans — again — to get their COVID-19 vaccines and boosters because the latest booster has a better immune response to evolving COVID-19 variants BA.4 and BA.5.

“Recent data that has come out indicates that in fact, if you are vaccinated and boosted, compared to an unvaccinated person, there is a 14 times lower risk of death in the last BA.4-5 era, per compared to unvaccinated people, and at least a three times lower risk of testing positive, compared to unvaccinated people,” said Anthony Fauci, MD, who stood on the podium at the press conference of the White House “one last time” as he bid farewell to reporters on Tuesday.

The physician-researcher will step down as director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and chief medical adviser to President Joe Biden next month.

Fauci did it disengage that he is not retiring, but rather, pursue “the next chapter” of his career. During his more than 5 decades of service to the federal government, he was the spearhead of the fighting versus HIV and AIDS, Ebolaand COVID-19[feminine]among other health crises.

White House COVID-19 Response Coordinator Ashish Jha, MD, joined Fauci on the podium and highlighted the latest developments in COVID-19 vaccination and disease prevention.

On Monday, 12 of America’s top medical and clinical societies, including the American Medical Association and the American College of Physicians, released a statement with a clear message: Get your updated COVID-19 vaccine and annual report. vaccine against influenzawhich is the best way to save lives this holiday season, especially the lives of older Americans.

Other announcements included a “6-week sprint” to help Americans get their updated COVID vaccine by the end of December. Three hundred and fifty million dollars in funding will go to community health centers, mobile immunization clinics, and faith-based organizations to help with education and vaccine distribution. There will also be $125 million in funding for aging and disability networks to become more vulnerable and Americans with disabilities vaccinated.

Jha also said most Americans will need a vaccine every year to stay safe, similar to the flu vaccine.

“We need to make protecting our loved ones an important part of the conversation we have around the Thanksgiving table and an important part of the conversation we will have in the days and weeks to come,” he said.

“If people get their updated vaccines and are treated if they have a breakthrough infection, we can prevent virtually all COVID deaths in America.”

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