A top U.S. vaccine official has died suddenly, according to her family.
Dr. Almyra “A” Oveta Fuller, 67, was a leading virologist and member of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advisory panel.
As part of her role on the FDA panel, Fuller voted in favor of granting emergency use authorization for the COVID-19 vaccines.
Fuller was an associate professor of microbiology and immunology and a member of the FDA vaccine and biological products advisory committee.
According to her obituary, Fuller died on Friday morning after a brief and unexpected non-Covid-related illness.
As an FDA adviser, Fuller played a crucial role in securing the emergency use authorizations for the three Covid vaccines.
She also supported pushing vaccines for pediatric use.
“Obviously, we’re in a pandemic of coronavirus, and we need to use every tool available that is safe and effective,” Fuller told Michigan Daily when asked why she voted to recommend the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for use on children.
“Based on the data that was presented for the clinical trials with 5- to 11-year-olds, as well as the rollout effects of the Pfizer vaccine over the last 10 months in millions of people, the benefits seem to far outweigh the risk.
“So I voted yes, to make that available as something that parents who choose to have their children vaccinated can do,” she continued.
“My opinion was not so much to make it mandatory but to make it accessible.”
According to Dr. Panda, Fuller also favored including COVID-19 vaccinations on the CDC’s list of mandatory immunizations for school entry.
From pandemic to endemic SARS CoV-2 will require wise decisions by leaders and each person. Required vaccines have stopped or reduced many illnesses – polio, measles, mumps, pertussis, chickenpox, smallpox, influenza… We must add COVID-19 to the list.https://t.co/ivwTNB6RQO
— fullerao@umich.edu (@ProfAOFuller) July 20, 2021
Fuller also advocated for the use of Covid shots for pregnant women.
As pregnancy naturally brings a temporary type of immunosuppressive, vaccination against COVID and booster are love and wisdom in action for mothers, a mother to be and the people around them. https://t.co/l5HLyWc00Z
— fullerao@umich.edu (@ProfAOFuller) November 14, 2021
She also celebrated when her colleagues voted to recommend a booster shot to stop the spread of the virus.
Pleased on Friday w VRBPAC colleagues persevering to recommend another tool in toolkit towards managing COVID. Grateful—a decidedly No request turned to unanimous Yes in EUA access to 3rd dose as boost. Progress—gotta keep moving forward people! Having a victory dance moment
— fullerao@umich.edu (@ProfAOFuller) September 18, 2021
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