Definition of Fully Vaccinated Alters as Coronavirus Booster Shot Mandates Begin

Sadie Sindland, age 14, is inoculated by Nurse Karen Pagliaro at Hartford Healthcares mass
JOSEPH PREZIOSO/AFP via Getty Images
Hannah Knudsen

The definition of what it means to be fully vaccinated for the Chinese coronavirus is changing across the country as booster shot mandates begin to roll out, fulfilling the warning offered by critics who cautioned mandates would not end with regular vaccine series alone.

While the Biden administration publicly campaigning for Americans to get vaccinated and boosted, some universities and employers are beginning to mandate booster shots in addition to the vaccine series on their own accord, creating inconsistent standards across the nation of what it means to be fully vaccinated.

According to Axios, universities, including Georgetown and NYU, are requiring booster shots for both students and staff. The NFL is also taking action, sending out a memo on Monday announcing a booster mandate. All coaches and staff must get a booster shot by December 27.

“Given the increased prevalence of the virus in our communities, our experts have recommended that we implement the CDC’s recommendation,” the league announced.

Most recently, the Metropolitan Opera announced on Wednesday that would require both staff and audiences to have a booster shot in order to enter the performing arts center. That rule begins January 17.

“We think we should be setting an example,” the Met’s general manager Peter Gelb said. “Hopefully we will have an influence on other performing arts companies as well. I think it’s just a matter of time — everyone is going to be doing this.”

The booster mandates come as Americans offer differing opinions on what it means to be fully vaccinated:

Americans are split on what they think the definition of fully vaccinated is, according to Harris polling provided exclusively to Axios.

  • 49% of adults said that “fully vaccinated” means two shots of Pfizer or Moderna or one shot of J&J, and 51% said that “fully vaccinated” now includes a booster
  • Nearly two-thirds of seniors feel that a booster is required to be fully vaccinated.

The emergence of booster mandates follows remarks from Dr. Anthony Fauci, who admitted that definition of fully vaccinated could change to include booster shots.

“But certainly, when you want to talk about optimal protection, I don’t think anyone would argue that optimal protection is with a third shot. Whether or not it officially gets changed in the definition, I think that will be considered literally on a daily basis. That’s always on the table,” Fauci said during a recent appearance no CNN’s At This Hour.

“My own personal opinion, Kate, is what you said is correct. It’s going to be a matter of when, not if,” he added.

This is something Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) has talked about repeatedly, warning that the definition of fully vaccinated would continue to change.

“If these mandates are allowed, what they would do is they would change what fully vaccinated means,” he said during a recent press conference.

“So right now normal series is two doses that will certainly, I said in the future, change to where if you don’t get the booster then you could be subject to these mandates and have penalties. And there were people who had a spasm, who said ‘that’s not true,'” he continued.

“First of all, you are talking about, I am saying what’s going to happen in the future, so we have to wait and see. Well now, what’s [Dr. Anthony] Fauci saying? He’s saying almost assuredly you’re going to need at least three shots to be considered fully vaccinated,” DeSantis added.

COMMENTS

Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.