Dr. Anthony Fauci on Wednesday suggested that the definition of “fully vaccinated” could change, only applying to individuals who received a coronavirus booster shot as well.
The White House chief medical adviser made the admission during Wednesday’s press briefing, where he announced the first case of the Omicron variant in the United States. Notably, the individual who contracted the virus is in California and is, under the current definition, “fully vaccinated.”
During the press conference, a reporter asked Fauci if the booster shots will eventually become part of the vaccine mandate, which President Biden and his administration are attempting to force on American workers via the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
“At what point does the booster become part of the mandate?” the reporter asked.
“I can’t answer that right now. For the time being, the definition of fully vaccinated is two [shots],” Fauci responded.
When asked if he sees that changing down the road, Fauci admitted that “it could change.”
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Fauci essentially confirmed the suspicions vocalized by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), who warned that vaccine mandates could become “rolling” mandates due to the chatter of booster shots.
Jeff Zients, the White House COVID-19 Response Coordinator, also released a statement on the first case of the Omicron variant in the U.S., yet he failed to mention that the infection occurred in a fully vaccinated individual.
“The President’s medical team continues to believe that existing vaccines will provide some level of protection against severe illness from Omicron, and individuals who have gotten boosters have even stronger protection,” he said in a statement, urging adults to get vaccinated and boosted, while also pushing them to vaccinate their children.