Some South Floridians Still Skeptical About Pfizer Vaccine Despite FDA's Full Approval
MIAMI (CBSMiami) – There's no letup in the lines for people wanting a COVID test in South Florida.
On Monday, Lenora Smoot took her grandson to Mills Pond Park in Fort Lauderdale to get tested after someone on his football team was positive for COVID.
The young boy has to stay home until he can prove he's negative for the virus, which is tough since he wants to be in school with his friends.
"He's devastated," said Smoot. "He's a first grader and only got to go one day."
But there's a hope South Florida's surge in COVID cases will start to decline with Pfizer's COVID vaccine getting full approval from the FDA.
Dr. Corey Frederick, an infectious disease pharmacist at Memorial Regional, thinks it could impact the rapid rise in hospitalizations.
"The main reason we have this spike is because the delta variant is finding people who aren't vaccinated," said Dr. Frederick. "This could put a dead end to that and slow the transmission."
Up until now, the Pfizer vaccine had emergency use authorization. Before granting final approval, FDA scientist evaluated data from 40,000 trial participants.
"The University of New York looked at this and found only 3 to 5% of the population will want it," said Dr. Daniel Bober, a Hollywood psychiatrist.
Dr. Bober said there is still skepticism.
"Failing to plan is planning to fail," he said. "We have the tools, but ignorance, misinformation about the vaccine is having an impact."
CBS4's Joan Murray found some of the unvaccinated who still refuse the shot despite the full approval.
"It's not going to eliminate me getting sick or wearing a mask, so what's the point?" said a man waiting in line for a COVID test.
