In an interview with Face the Nation on Jan. 3, Operation Warp Speed Chief Advisor Moncef Slaoui, PhD, said that, in an effort to get the most people vaccinated and achieve herd immunity in the shortest amount of time with the limited number of vaccines currently available, U.S. officials are in talks with both vaccine manufacturer Moderna and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to potentially give certain individuals just half the recommended dose of Moderna’s COVID vaccine. “We know that for the Moderna vaccine, giving half of the dose to people between the ages of 18 and 55, two doses, half the dose, which means exactly achieving the objective of immunizing double the number of people with the doses we have,” said Slaoui. Slaoui went on to explain that the modified dosage “induces identical immune response to the hundred microgram dose” that people get when they receive two doses of the vaccine, adding that the FDA will have final approval over whether or not the vaccine can be administered in half-doses. While Slaoui said that the potential changes to the vaccine administration plan were “a more responsible approach that would be based on facts and data,” not all public health experts are on board. In an interview with Today, Anthony Fauci, MD, expressed hesitance to halve the doses. “We know from the clinical trial that the optimal time is to give it on one day and then for Moderna, 28 days later, and for Pfizer, 21 days later,” Fauci said. “That’s what the data tells us is the best way to do it, so if you want to stick with the data, that’s the way you should do it.” Read on for insight into where the COVID vaccine is being rolled out the slowest, as of Jan. 4, according to the CDC. And if you’re wondering where cases are surging, Dr. Fauci Just Said He’s Worried About This One State. Read the original article on Best Life. First COVID vaccine dose administered per 100,000 residents: 3,042 First COVID vaccine dose administered per 100,000 residents: 2,930ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb And if you’re concerned about your risk, The CDC Just Confirmed This Disorder Could Put You at Risk of Severe COVID. First COVID vaccine dose administered per 100,000 residents: 2,918 First COVID vaccine dose administered per 100,000 residents: 2,589 And if you’re worried you’re sick, If This Is Your Only Symptom, You Might Be Safe From COVID. First COVID vaccine dose administered per 100,000 residents: 2,557 First COVID vaccine dose administered per 100,000 residents: 2,356 And for the latest COVID news delivered straight to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter. First COVID vaccine dose administered per 100,000 residents: 2,233 First COVID vaccine dose administered per 100,000 residents: 2,130 And if you’re feeling under the weather, This Is the “Strongest, Most Consistent” Sign You Have COVID, Study Says.