Panel: Pfizer boosters OK for elderly, high-risk

Dealing the White House a stinging setback, a government advisory panel overwhelmingly rejected a plan Friday to give Pfizer COVID-19 booster shots across the board, and instead endorsed the extra dose only for those who are 65 or older or run a high risk of severe disease.

The twin votes represented a heavy blow to the Biden administration’s sweeping effort, announced a month ago, to shore up nearly all Americans’ protection amid the spread of the highly contagious delta variant.

The decision was made by an influential committee of outside experts who advise the Food and Drug Administration. The FDA is expected to make a decision on boosters in the next few days, but it usually follows the committee’s recommendations.