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'In Colorado, We Are Ready': Gov. Jared Polis Reacts To FDA Approval Of Pfizer COVID Vaccine Boosters

DENVER (CBS4)- Gov. Jared Polis gave a statement on the FDA approval of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine booster for people over 65 and those at high risk for severe illness or exposure to COVID-19. This comes just hours after the FDA announced its approval.

Pfizer Covid-19 Vaccine
The Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine on December 15, 2020 in Stratford, England. (Photo by Leon Neal/Getty Images)

The Food and Drug Administration granted emergency use authorization Wednesday for a third dose of Pfizer and BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine to be given to three groups — those 65 and older, those at high risk of developing severe COVID-19 and those at risk of developing "serious complications" due to "frequent institutional or occupational exposure," likely including frontline health care workers and prisoners.

Polis released this statement, "I'm glad the FDA appears to realize we are in a pandemic and has authorized the safe and effective Pfizer vaccine for Americans age 65 and up and people of all ages with frequent exposure to the coronavirus at their jobs. In Colorado, we are ready to administer more boosters and the FDA should keep the ball rolling and follow the science by approving additional safe and effective vaccine boosters so we can end the pandemic and protect more Coloradans."

According to CBSNews, while the first two doses of the vaccine already have the FDA's full approval for use in people 16 years and older, the regulator said it will now allow third shots for select portions of the American population.

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