Rochelle Walensky says CDC is 'pivoting' the language of what it means to be fully vaccinated



The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said the health agency is pivoting on the CDC's language of what it means to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

"And what we really are working to do is pivot the language to make sure that everybody is as up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines as they personally could be, should be, based on when they got their last vaccine," Walensky said during Friday's press briefing from the White House COVID-19 response team.

"So, importantly, right now, we’re pivoting our language," Walensky added. "We really want to make sure people are up to date."

Walensky defined "up to date" as: "That means if you recently got your second dose, you’re not eligible for a booster, you’re up to date. If you are eligible for a booster and you haven’t gotten it, you’re not up to date and you need to get your booster in order to be up to date."

Only weeks ago, Walensky said the CDC is not changing the definition of what it means to be fully vaccinated.

"So, individuals are considered fully vaccinated against COVID-19 if they’ve received their primary series," Walensky said during a Jan. 5 White House press conference. "That definition is not changing."

"But consistent with how public health has historically viewed or even talked about how we recommend vaccines, we are now recommending that individuals stay up to date with additional doses that they are eligible for," the CDC director added.

According to the CDC website, an individual is "up to date" after two doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccine, or one dose of the Johnson & Johnson. The CDC does not indicate a booster is required to be fully vaccinated.

Last month, Dr. Anthony Fauci said the definition of what is considered "fully vaccinated" against COVID-19 will inevitably change to include booster shots.

"It's gonna be a matter of when, not if," the definition changes, Fauci said during a CNN interview.

"But when you're talking about optimal protection, there's no doubt now from the data we have, that to be optimally protected you have to get a third shot of an mRNA and a second shot of a J&J," Fauci said during an interview with MSNBC in December.

"The discussion of whether or not the definition of fully vaccinated should include that third shot boost is certainly ongoing and it is certainly on the table," explained the chief medical adviser to President Joe Biden. "I would not be surprised at all if within a reasonable period of time that changes. But right now, we're sticking with the original definition of fully vaccinated."

New York State Gov. Kathy Hochul also proclaimed that she intends to change the definition of "fully vaccinated" to include booster shots.

"At some point, we have to determine that fully vaccinated means boosted as well," Hochul said last month. "And we’ll give people a sufficient timeframe to make that happen."

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul intends to change definition of 'fully vaccinated' to also include booster shots



New York State Gov. Kathy Hochul declared that she intends to change the definition of "fully vaccinated" to include booster shots.

During a press conference on Thursday, the Democratic governor of New York announced that she plans to expand the definition of fully vaccinated.

"At some point, we have to determine that fully vaccinated means boosted as well," Hochul proclaimed. "And we’ll give people a sufficient timeframe to make that happen."

Currently, New York classifies "fully vaccinated" as when a person has received two doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine or one shot of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

"People are underestimating the power of omicron because they say, 'people aren't getting sick, they aren't going to hospitals;' but if you have a million more people infected, that means you will have over-flowing hospitals at this rate," Hochul said. "This is a crisis; this is a healthcare crisis and people are going to die."

CNY Central reported, "Gov. Hochul emphasized that if people had gotten vaccinated early on in the pandemic, the mask mandate would not have been necessary."

The outlet noted that Dr. Mary Bassett — the Health Commissioner of the New York State Department of Health — said during the press conference that the current winter spike of COVID-19 cases is something the state anticipated.

"We’re in the midst of a delta surge, and we have omicron in the wings," Bassett said.

Dr. Anthony Fauci — chief medical adviser on COVID-19 for President Joe Biden — also suggested changing the definition of what it means to be "fully vaccinated."

Earlier this month, Fauci was asked by a reporter, "At what point does the booster become part of the mandate?"

Fauci responded, "I can't answer that right now. But I know that for the time being, the official definition of 'fully vaccinated' is two [doses]."

However, Fauci also said the definition of "fully vaccinated" "could change" to include boosters.

REPORTER: "At what point does the booster become part of the mandate?"\n\nFAUCI: "I can't answer that right now. For the time being, the definition of fully vaccinated is two [shots]."\n\nREPORTER: "Do you see that changing?"\n\nFAUCI: "It could change"pic.twitter.com/BnP89DCNPR
— RNC Research (@RNC Research) 1638386135

A few days later, after his remarks made at a White House press conference, Fauci revealed that he believes there will be an expansion of what it means to be fully vaccinated.

On Dec. 8, Fauci appeared on CNN and MSNBC to say that he feels that boosters will also be required in the vaccine mandates.

CNN host Kate Bolduan asked Fauci if the definition of "fully vaccinated" would include three doses of COVID-19 vaccines.

He said he doesn't think that the definition will change "tomorrow or next week," but kept the door open.

“For me, as a public health person, I just say get your third shot – forget about what the definition is," he added. "I just want to see people be optimally protected.”

"It's gonna be a matter of when, not if" the definition changes, Fauci stated.

During an MSNBC interview, Fauci said, "The discussion of whether or not the definition of fully vaccinated should include that third shot boost is certainly ongoing and it is certainly on the table. I would not be surprised at all if within a reasonable period of time that changes. But right now, we're sticking with the original definition of fully vaccinated."

Last week, Fauci suggested that the term "mandates" is "a radioactive word" when it comes to government-ordered vaccinations, and added, that people "respond better" to the word "requirements."

Hear Dr. Fauci react to encouraging news from Pfizer www.youtube.com