White House Maintains Two COVID-19 Shots Fulfill ‘Fully Vaccinated’ Status

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki speaks during the daily press briefing at the White House in Washington, DC, on Oct. 6, 2021. Nicholas Kamm / AFP via Getty Images

White House press secretary Jen Psaki on Thursday defended the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for not deciding to change its definition for “fully vaccinated” to include a booster dose.

Earlier this week, the CDC’s director, Rochelle Walensky, said during a COVID-19 briefing that “we are now recommending that individuals stay up to date with additional doses that they are eligible for” but also said that “individuals are considered fully vaccinated against COVID-19 if they’ve received their primary series ... that definition is not changing.”