The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration have approved the booster for all adults receiving Moderna or Pfizer/BioNTech’s Covid-19 vaccine six months ago or so. than.
The agencies have said that everyone who received Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine two months or more ago should get a booster shot. Friday’s decision means that everyone 18 years of age and older who is fully immunized should consider another dose of the vaccine.
Previous guidance was more complicated, and CDC vaccine advisors expressed relief that the advice would be more streamlined.
Dr. Nirav Shah, president of the Association of Territorial and State Health Officials (ASTHO) and director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of Maine, told Friday’s meeting of the CDC vaccine advisors before they vote to propose broader guidelines.
“Our concern is that eligible individuals are not receiving boosters right now because of this confusion.”
SO WHO ELIGIBLE FOR BOOKERS NOW?
Anyone at least 18 years old and fully vaccinated at least six months ago. For people who have had the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, that means two doses.
The CDC and FDA have recommended that anyone who received a single dose of Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine two months or more ago should get a booster dose.
In most cases, people can get a booster vaccine for free by showing a CDC immunization card.
WHAT VACCINES SHOULD PEOPLE EAT?
The permission to mix and match vaccines still applies, so that shouldn’t be a problem. People who have had two doses of Pfizer vaccine can receive a third dose of Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine or they can choose to get a Moderna booster, which is half the usual Moderna dose, or they can get Johnson & Johnson boosters.
The same goes for all vaccines. In addition, people receiving vaccines not yet authorized in the United States – for example, AstraZeneca vaccine in Europe or the Caribbean – may receive a booster dose of Pfizer vaccine in the United States.
Studies show that any of the three vaccines, administered as boosters, increase human immunity back to the levels provided after the second dose. For the J&J vaccine, the booster makes the immunity stronger than it was after the first dose.
Data presented to CDC vaccine advisors on Friday showed that Moderna or Pfizer’s booster shots were safe, did not cause worrisome side effects, and improved the patient’s immune response. everyone regardless of age.
A consistent pattern: Moderna’s booster caused more immediate reactions like arm pain, fatigue, and headaches. Even at half the booster dose, Moderna’s product delivers more vaccine than Pfizer’s full dose – 50 micrograms versus 30 micrograms – and doctors say that might explain the difference. separate. But there are no safety-related reports from either, according to vaccine safety experts CDC.
HOW MUCH HONG DOES BOOSTER PROTECTS ME?
As for the second dose of the vaccine, doctors say it takes two weeks for immunity to peak. So the CDC recommends that people buy boosters as soon as possible.
Those who haven’t received the boosters won’t be able to get one to hit their renewed peak immunity before Thanksgiving, but the other holidays coming up and the prospect of winter travel keep officials busy. worried.
WHAT ABOUT TEENS AND CHILDREN?
The biggest risks from weakened immunity are for older adults – especially those 65 and older. That’s why the FDA and CDC have taken action first for that age group, as well as for people at risk for severe illness, such as people with medical conditions, even if they’re younger. .
Vaccine companies have not reported any evidence that vaccinated people 18 years of age or younger are experiencing weakened immunity or sudden infections. Overall, these younger age groups are at lower risk of severe illness and less likely to worry about danger to them from disruptive infections.
Pfizer’s vaccine was approved for use in children under the age of 12 in May, which should bring some children that age to the six-month threshold. But the CDC and FDA are more concerned with vaccinating adults first — and most importantly, giving the first shots to the millions of vaccinated adults and children who have not been vaccinated.
DOES THIS CHANGE THE DEFINITION OF PERSONAL DISEASE?
Not in the United States. The CDC defines a fully vaccinated person as someone two weeks after receiving two doses of Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine at least three weeks apart, two doses of Moderna vaccine four weeks apart, or one dose of Johnson’s vaccine & Johnson. That doesn’t change.
At least two governors – Michelle Lujan Grisham of New Mexico and Ned Lamont of Connecticut, both Democrats, have said they don’t consider people fully vaccinated unless they’ve had a booster shot, but so far that’s opinion, not policy.
IF I HAVE A BOOSTER, DO I HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING?
It’s too early to say. It is possible that with vaccines such as the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine, once the initial few doses are over, people can count on lifelong immunity.
Doctors hope that a boost six months after the initial dose will provide much longer-lasting immunity than two rapid injections several weeks apart – even if they agree that 100% is the way to go correct approach to a new vaccine used at the start of the pandemic.
It is too early to know whether immunity will weaken after several months or years. And it’s too early to know if a new variant can emerge and spread to avoid the vaccine’s protection, and like the annual flu vaccine, the formulation may have to be tweaked to protect. from the changed virus.
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