- [Charlene] People over the age of 12

who are fully vaccinatedwith Pfizer or Moderna

could be asked to roll up their sleeves

for a third COVID-19 booster shot.

This, after recent findings

that the Pfizer vaccine'sability to protect from the virus

diminishes after eight months.

- [Dr. Collins] The vaccine protection

does gradually wane over time.

In the Israeli data, thatpeople who got immunized

in January are the ones

that are now havingmore breakthrough cases.

That's the same thing we'restarting to see in the US data.

- [Charlene] The booster shotwill be given in the order

that people got thefirst round of vaccines,

eight months after their second shot.

First in line, healthcareworkers, nursing home residents,

and other older Americans

who were the first to bevaccinated last December.

- We have long anticipated

that there would likelybe a coronavirus booster

that might be on somethinglike an annual basis,

just based upon our responseto other viral vaccines

and experience we have withcoronaviruses in general.

So it doesn't come as a big surprise.

- [Charlene] The push comes as cases

of the highly contagious Delta variant

explode across the country.

Texas governor Greg Abbott,who is fully vaccinated,

tested positive for COVID on Tuesday.

His office saying he is in good health

and experiencing no symptoms.

But deaths from theDelta variant now stand

at approximately 500 each day.

Up over 130% since last month.

Hospital ICUs in hot zones like Alabama

are filling up with younger patients.

- Losing within a week threepatients under the age of 40,

just very heartbreaking.

- The University ofMississippi's medical center

now building a second fieldhospital to handle the surge.

Meanwhile, experts worrythat the call for boosters

could discourage Americanswho are already hesitant

to get their first COVID-19 shots.

If the FDA green lightsa third booster shot,

the first doses could bedistributed as early as September.

Charlene Aaron, CBN News.