Washington (AP) — Pfizer said it will meet with top US health officials on Monday to discuss the drug company’s request for federal approval for a third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Booster shots may be required.

The company said it plans to meet with the Food and Drug Administration and other officials on Monday, a few days after Pfizer insisted that booster shots were needed within 12 months.

Dr. Michael Dorsten of Pfizer Told the Associated Press Early data from the company’s booster study last week suggest that people’s antibody levels jump 5-10 times after the third dose compared to the second dose a few months ago.

on Sunday, Dr. Anthony Fauci He said he did not rule out the possibility, but said it was too early for the government to recommend another shot. He said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the FDA did the right thing last week by opposed Pfizer’s claim that they weren’t looking at booster shots “at this time” as needed.

Forch said clinical research and experimental data do not yet fully support the need for current Pfizer and Modana two-shot vaccines or Johnson & Johnson one-shot regimen boosters.

“For now, given the data and information we have, we don’t need to give people a third shot,” he said. “That doesn’t mean we’ll stop there …. There’s ongoing research while we’re talking about considering the feasibility of when and when to boost people.”

He said it is very likely that the government will encourage boosters based on factors such as age and underlying medical conditions in the coming months “as the data evolves.” “Sure, it’s perfectly conceivable, maybe someday we’ll need a boost,” Forch said.

The upcoming meeting between Pfizer and US health authorities on Monday was first reported by The Washington Post.

Currently, only about 48% of the US population is fully vaccinated. Immunization rates are much lower in some parts of the country, and delta variants are skyrocketing in those places. Last week, CDC director Rochelle Walensky said it would lead to “two truths.” The highly immunized band in the United States is returning to normal while hospitalizations are increasing elsewhere.

Forch said some Americans cannot explain how much they are very resistant to vaccination if scientific data show how effective they are in preventing COVID-19 infection and hospitalization. Disappointed with efforts to prevent vaccination from becoming more accessible, such as Biden’s suggestion. Door-to-door sales.

Governor Asa Hutchinson agrees on Sunday that southern and local states like him are vaccine resistant because “you have a more conservative approach, skepticism about the government.” did.

“No one wants agents to knock on the door,” Hutchinson said in an effort to step up immunization in states where infectious diseases are on the rise. Make sure people who don’t have access know it. “

The grassroots element of the federal vaccination campaign has been in operation since April, when the supply of shots began to outpace demand. It was outlined and funded by Congress in the $ 1.9 trillion COVID-19 Relief Bill passed in March and implemented by overwhelmingly local civil servants and private sector workers and volunteers.

Rep. Adam Kinzinger (Republican) has expressed opposition to some Republican vaccination efforts as “absolute madness.” He said that Kevin McCarthy of California, the leader of the House Republican Party, and others in the party said, “These absolute clown politicians playing with your vaccine are in their own selfish interests. I’m afraid, “he said.

Fauci starred in CNN’s “State of the Union,” ABC’s “This Week,” and CBS’s “Face the Nation.” Hutchinson spoke on ABC and Kinzinger spoke on CNN.