What We're Reading: Pfizer May Seek Booster EUA in All Adults; Employer Vaccine Mandate; COVID-19 Misinformation Trends

Pfizer Expected to Seek EUA for Booster Shot in All Adults

As reported by The Washington Post, Pfizer/BioNTech are expected to seek emergency use authorization for their COVID-19 booster vaccine in all adults 18 years and older. The request, which could be filed as soon as this week, will likely be approved by the FDA and comes amid concerns from some health experts that infections and deaths from the declining Delta surge might be plateauing at a high level. Currently, the Pfizer booster shots are available for individuals 65 years and older or those aged 18 to 64 who are at high risk of severe COVID-19 or work in areas that increase risk.

Biden Administration Urges Court Not to Block Employer Vaccine Mandate

The Biden administration issued a 28-page filing yesterday to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit arguing that the federal government had all the necessary power to require large employers to mandate COVID-19 vaccination or weekly testing and mask wearing in their workforce. Following the court’s temporary halting of the mandate last week, The New York Times reports the Department of Justice contended that the rule was necessary to protect workers from the pandemic and had legal standing. If passed, the rule would force companies with at least 100 employees to require unvaccinated employees to wear masks starting December 5 and adhere to weekly testing at work starting January 4.

Nearly 8 in 10 Believe or Are Unsure of False COVID-19 Statements

A poll published yesterday by Kaiser Family Foundation indicated that 78% of US adults believe or are unsure of at least 1 of 8 false statements regarding COVID-19. As reported by The Hill, trends in misinformation included 38% who believe the government is exaggerating COVID-19 deaths, 17% who believe pregnant women should not get the vaccine, and 18% who believe vaccine-related deaths are being hidden by the government. Notably, unvaccinated individuals were found to be much more likely to believe or be unsure of 4 or more of the false statements compared with vaccinated people (64% vs 19%).