A growing number of Americans are lying to obtain a third COVID-19 vaccine shot. While some vaccine makers estimate that booster shots might be needed soon, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has yet to officially approve any for public use.
Data from the CDC indicate that roughly 900 people across the U.S. so far have received a third vaccine dose, according to the Associated Press. As the data available were voluntarily reported, it is possible that this number could be higher.
Gina Welch from Maine is a graduate student in chemistry. She claimed that she received her third vaccine shot after telling the clinic it would be her first. Welch said she had been following the predictions made by doctors and scientists and didn’t want to wait six more months before booster shots could be officially approved. Because she has asthma and liver disease, she was particularly concerned about her health during the resurgent pandemic.
“I’m going follow these experts and going to protect myself,” Welch said to the AP. “I don’t want to wait six months or a year for them recommend a third dose.
Another Californian man, who did the same as Welch, provided his passport as an alternative ID to his driver’s license. This was something he had already done.
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Jared Polis, Colorado Governor, shared some anecdotal examples of people using fake names in order to get more shots.
Vaccine manufacturers generally agree that booster shots are likely to be required in the near future as new strains of vaccines develop and immunity from current shots may weaken. Moderna has estimated that this could be the case by winter, and Pfizer is said to be preparing a booster shot for FDA approval soon.
However, for the time being, most providers agree that vaccinated individuals are safe without an additional shot.