AHA, ANA, AMA applaud booster shot decision for health professionals

The decision to allow nurses, physicians and others working in health care settings to access Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine booster shots met with applause from the American Hospital Association (AHA), American Nurses Association (ANA) and American Medical Association (AMA) this week. “We support every effort to protect the health and safety of those who are at higher risk for infection due to potential occupational exposure,” the organizations said in a joint statement. “At a time when our hospitals and health systems are seeing surging COVID-19 cases and as we ask our front-line health care professionals to continue to respond day-in and day-out, access to booster doses will provide an increase in protection.” The Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention included health care workers among those eligible for boosters earlier in the week. The associations now await data on the effectiveness and safety of Moderna and Johnson & Johnson booster shots. (AHA News article, 9/29/21)