CDC Committee Votes Unanimously In Recommending Pfizer Vaccine

MICHIGAN — The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services on Wednesday is urging people to get vaccinated following the FDA's approval and a unanimous recommendation from the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for those ages 16, according to a MDHHS news release.

"We now have a fully FDA-approved COVID-19 vaccine and ACIP has added its unanimous recommendation," Dr. Joneigh Khaldun said, chief medical executive and chief deputy for health at MDHHS.

"For Michiganders who have been waiting for this approval, now is the time to get the safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine and join the more than 4.7 million Michigan residents who are already fully vaccinated," she added. "The vaccine is our best defense against the virus and the way we are going to end this pandemic together."

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices provides advice and guidance to the director of the CDC regarding use of vaccines and its 14-0 recommendation vote comes just one week after the FDA granted full approval for the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, the department's news release said.

While vaccinating adolescents aged 12-15 with the Pfizer vaccine and additional shots of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines remain under Emergency Use Authorization, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices plans to meet in September to further discuss recommendations for booster doses, the department's news release said.

Unvaccinated Michigan residents have accounted for 98% of COVID cases, 95% of hospitalizations and 96% of deaths from January to July of this year.

More than 65% of Michigan residents have gotten at least their first dose of one of the three safe effective vaccines.