Statement-on-Boosters-16-and-17-year-olds Statement on Boosters 16 and 17 year olds

Statement on Boosters 16 and 17 year olds

​To: Governors of California, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington State

  • Governor Gavin Newsom, California
  • Governor Steve Sisolak, Nevada
  • Governor Kate Brown, Oregon
  • Governor Jay Inslee, Washington

From: Arthur Reingold, MD, Chair, Western States Scientific Safety Review Workgroup


The Western States Scientific Safety Review Workgroup strongly supports CDC’s strengthening its booster recommendation and encouraging 16 and 17 year olds to receive a booster shot if they are at least 6 months post their initial Pfizer vaccination series.

Respectfully submitted:

Members of the Western States Scientific Safety Review Workgroup:

  • Arthur Reingold, MD, Chair, UC Berkeley School of Public Health

California Members:

  • TomĆ”s J. Aragón, MD, DrPH, California Department of Public Health and State Health Officer
  • Oliver Brooks, MD, Watts Healthcare
  • Eric Goosby, MD, UCSF School of Medicine
  • Rodney Hood, MD, UC San Diego Alumnus and National Medical Association
  • Nicola Klein, MD, Ph.D., Kaiser Permanente Northern California
  • Grace M. Lee, MD, MPH, Stanford Children’s Health and Stanford University School of Medicine
  • Bonnie Maldonado, MD, Stanford University School of Medicine and Stanford Children’s Health
  • Mark H. Sawyer, MD, UC San Diego School of Medicine and Rady Children’s Hospitals
  • Robert Schechter, MD, California Department of Public Health
  • Peter G. Szilagyi, MD, MPH, UCLA Health and David Geffen School of Medicine
  • Matt Zahn, MD, Orange County Health Care Agency

Nevada Members:

  • Ihsan Azzam, MD, Ph.D., Chief Medical Officer, State of Nevada
  • Karissa Loper, MPH, Health Bureau Chief, Nevada Department of Health and Human Services

Oregon Members:

  • Laura Byerly, MD, Virginia Garcia Memorial Health Center
  • Louis J. Picker, MD, OHSU Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute

Washington Members:

  • John Dunn, MD, MPH, Kaiser Permanente Washington
  • Edgar K. Marcuse, MD, MPH, University of Washington School of Medicine