September 23, 2021
Who should get the Pfizer Covid19 vaccine booster shot that was just authorized under emergency use by the FDA? Well things just got a little more complicated. The CDC advisory panel just voted.
This part is easy and it matches what the FDA authorized. The CDC advisory panel voted unanimously to recommend the Pfizer booster shot for those ages 65 and older, and nursing home residents. That booster can be given six months after full vaccination.
In divided votes — the CDC panel ultimately did recommended those ages 18 to 64 with underlying conditions get the booster at least six months after full vaccination. However if you’re between the ages of 18-49, and have underlying conditions you should consult with your doctor.
Here where the CDC panel disagreed with the FDA’s emergency use authorization for the Pfizer booster.
The CDC panel – after much debate – ultimately did *not* recommend a booster for people at risk of illness because of their job or increased exposure to Covid19. That means nursing home staff, people who live or work in prisons and homeless shelters, front-line health employees, unpaid caregivers and other essential workers, like teachers are excluded from the recommendation.
Now these recommendations go to the CDC director and she will either accept or deny them.
PLUS
Answering your five most common concerns about the debt ceiling and the possibility of the us government defaulting on our debt.
We go through this every year –
Blaming one specific President –
We need to stop all this spending –
Who are we in debt to?
Democrats should raise the debt ceiling on their own
Let’s go.
Number one — we go through this every year
No we don’t. You’re confusing the debt ceiling issue with a regular government shutdown. These are two separate and very different things. And right now — both things are happening at the same time. The threat of a government shutdown, yes that happens every year because congress has to agree on some sort of annual spending plan. But the debate about raising the debt ceiling – does *not* happen every year. The last time the debt ceiling was increased was under President Trump in March of 2019 and then suspended in August of 2019. Rather than raise the debt ceiling by a specific amount, sometimes lawmakers suspend the debt ceiling for a period of time to allow the treasury department to borrow what it needs. That’s what democrats want to do now in fact, that’s the way the bill was passed in the house earlier this week. But at this point – it won’t pass the senate
Number two – blaming one specific president.
This problem started long before both President Trump and President Biden. How far back? I’ll put it to you this way — the us government has *always* outspent what it brings in. That’s why congress established the debt ceiling in 1917.
Number three — we need to stop all this spending
Depending on your politics that may be true. But” stopping the spending” won’t solve the problem we’re facing right this minute. Raising the debt ceiling today pays for yesterday’s bills. And that bill is due in by mid-October. Also — it’s important for you to understand by raising the debt ceiling, that does *not* authorize new spending. Raising the debt ceiling just allows the US government to pay the bills we already owe! The debt ceiling is a legal issue it’s not a fiscal one.
Who do we owe all this money to?
About 70% of the us public debt is owned by the US government, investors like state and private pension funds and the federal reserve. Basically, we own it. Just under 30% is owned by foreign entities and governments – like China, Japan, Brazil, the UK and many more.
Democrats should just raise the debt ceiling on their own without republicans.
Technically, that can happen and it might. However the debt ceiling increase has *always* been a bipartisan process. And usually raising the debt ceiling is a benign, non-partisan exercise. In recent years it’s become sort of a political football. And it looks bad if one party does it without the other.
