Headline Roundup • August 13th, 2021
FDA Authorizes, CDC Recommends Additional Vaccine Dose for Certain Immunocompromised People
Summary from the AllSides News Team
Following the FDA’s expanded emergency use authorization and a CDC advisory board’s recommendation, the CDC officially said Friday that certain immunocompromised people should get a third dose of the Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine to protect against the Delta variant. The recommendation is specifically aimed at “moderately to severely” immunocompromised people, including cancer patients, organ transplant recipients, people with advanced HIV infection, and more. “At a time when the Delta variant is surging, an additional vaccine dose for some people with weakened immune systems could help prevent serious and possibly life-threatening COVID-19 cases within this population,” CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said in a statement released Friday.
Coverage was widespread and mostly balanced across the spectrum. Left- and center-rated outlets were more likely to feature the story prominently on homepages on Friday evening.
Featured Coverage of this Story

CNBC
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention gave final approval Friday to start administering Covid-19 booster shots to Pfizer and Moderna vaccine recipients hours after a key panel unanimously voted to endorse third doses for immunocompromised Americans.
“At a time when the Delta variant is surging, an additional vaccine dose for some people with weakened immune systems could help prevent serious and possibly life-threatening COVID-19 cases within this population,” CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said in a statement.

CNN Digital
Vaccine advisers to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention voted unanimously on Friday to recommend an extra dose of Covid-19 vaccine for some immunocompromised people, and the CDC director signed off on the recommendation almost immediately.
The US Food and Drug Administration gave emergency use authorization Thursday night for a third dose in certain patients who are likely to have had a poor immune response to two doses of either Pfizer's or Moderna's vaccine. There's not enough data to discuss the possibility for an extra dose of Johnson...

Fox News Digital
A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advisory committee is recommending moderate-to-severe immunocompromised individuals receive an mRNA COVID-19 booster dose. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices held the vote Friday, a day after the FDA expanded emergency use of Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccines to authorize a booster shot for certain immunocompromised patients.
The vote was 11 to 0.
AllSides Picks
Red Blue Translator
Anti-vaxxer
Headline Roundup
ICE Detains Conservative Influencer Milo Yiannopoulos in Louisiana
August 28th, 2026
Headline Roundup
USAID Report Claims Over 100 UNRWA Employees Participated in October 7 Attacks
August 28th, 2026
Blog
Will Data Centers Create Blackouts? Examining Media Bias and Misinformation on The Tucker Carlson Show
Julie Mastrine
August 28th, 2026