"A Food and Drug Administration advisory panel on Friday voted to recommend Pfizer Covid-19 booster shots for Americans over age 65 and those at “high risk,” bu

"A Food and Drug Administration advisory panel on Friday voted to recommend Pfizer Covid-19 booster shots for Americans over age 65 and those at “high risk,” but not for the broader population. What do these public-health experts have against individuals making up their own minds about their own health? he evidence for boosters is strong and growing. The most compelling comes from Israel, which started giving third doses in July after infections and hospitalizations started climbing among people who were vaccinated this winter. One study from Israel found that the Pfizer vaccine’s protection against symptomatic infection had fallen to 40% from mid-June to July compared to more than 95% from January to April. Those who were vaccinated in January had only 16% protection compared to 79% for those vaccinated in April. Vaccine efficacy declines because antibodies—the immune system’s front-line defense—wane over several months. A study from the Kaiser Permanente Southern California health system found that vaccine efficacy against infection declined from 88% in the first month after full vaccination to 47% after five or more months. Some evidence suggests that protection against severe illness is declining too. A study published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday found that the Pfizer vaccine was 77% effective against hospitalization after four months versus 91% within the first 120 days." ...