Fauci hints at redefining 'fully vaccinated' as DeSantis stands against lockdowns

Dr. Anthony Fauci told CNN on Wednesday that “it’s going to be a matter of when, not if” the definition of fully vaccinated will change to include a booster shot, which is typically a third shot.

The Chief Medical Adviser to the President was speaking with Kate Bolduan, host of CNN's At This Hour. She began by asking about statements earlier in the day by Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla where he defined fully vaccinated as “the first two dose series and a booster.”

After a discussion where Fauci called it a “technical, almost semantic definition,” Bolduan asked “when, not if” the definition of fully vaccinated would change.

“My own personal opinion, Kat, is what you said is correct. It’s going to be a matter of when, not if,” Fauci replied.

This may have confirmed the fears of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who was criticized last month for warning that COVID-19 booster shots would soon mean “those individuals who have gone through a normal vaccination series for Covid… will be determined to be unvaccinated very soon.”

“They will do that – they are gonna tell you: ‘you’re unvaccinated and you have to get a booster,’” DeSantis said in Tallahassee, warning that workers “could potentially face loss of employment or other types of penalties.”

DeSantis doubled-down on this argument on Thursday, the same day federal health officials authorized COVID-19 boosters for 16- and 17-year-old teenagers.

Speaking against vaccine mandates, DeSantis said, “If these mandates are allowed, what they would do is they would change what fully vaccinated means. So right now normal series is two doses that will certainly, I said in the future, change to where if you don’t get the booster then you could be subject to these mandates and have penalties.”

“And there were people who had a spasm, who said ‘that’s not true,’” DeSantis added, referring to his critics from last month.