Dr. Fauci says 'inevitably' people will need COVID-19 vaccine boosters, but only immune compromised need them now

National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Dr. Anthony Fauci said Thursday that "inevitably" people will eventually require a COVID-19 vaccine booster.

The green light will likely be given soon for the immune compromised to get vaccine boosters in the U.S.

Fauci noted that currently, aside from the immune compromised, boosters will not be administered, but cohorts of patients are being monitored in order to determine if, when and who should receive a vaccine booster.

During the interview on NBC's "Today," Craig Melvin asked Fauci whether it is "inevitable" everyone will require a booster at some point in the future.

"Well, I think the important thing to point out is, is the differences between the immune compromised who really never really got a good response to begin with," Fauci said. "So for them, it's more of getting them up to what they hopefully had gotten the first time around, but we know because of their immune compromise they don't.

"That's different than the durability of response, which means taking a" healthy individual, "and just continue to very, very carefully follow them, and if the level of their protection goes below a certain level, to then be ready and have a plan ready ... to get them their boost," he said.

Fauci, who is also the White House chief medical adviser, noted that "no vaccine, at least not within this category, is gonna have an indefinite amount of protection. So in answer to your question, it's right. Inevitably there will be a time when we'll have to give boosts. What we're doing literally on a weekly and monthly basis, is following cohorts of patients to determine if, when and whom should get it.

"But right now at this moment, other than the immune compromised," boosters will not be administered to people," he said. "But we will be following them very carefully, and if they do need it we'll be ready to give it to them."

TODAY In 30: 1-On-1 With Dr. Fauci & Incoming NY Gov. Kathy Hochulwww.youtube.com