INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Indiana Department of Health officials announced Wednesday that more than 35,000 third doses of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine have been administered to 18 and over Hoosiers since the CDC and FDA approved a third dose for immunocompromised individuals in August. The total also includes booster doses that became available last week.
Additionally, State Health Commissioner Kris Box, M.D., noted that data indicates Indiana may be emerging from the COVID-19 surge fueled by the Delta variant.
“We don’t expect these declines to be linear and may see cases bounce back up and then fall again,” Dr. Box cautioned during a Wednesday news conference. “That is the nature of this disease. However, seeing a decline in cases for three weeks is definitely a reason for cautious optimism.”
Chief Medical Officer Dr. Lindsay Weaver said, “Boosters can provide more protection for anyone six months beyond the completion of their Pfizer vaccine series, but it is most important for those who have not yet gotten vaccinated to do so. If we continue at that pace, it could be over another year before we achieve sufficient levels of immunizations to provide robust protection for the population.”
Indiana is currently administering approximately 10,000 doses of vaccine each day.