The CDC's Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices on Oct. 21 voted unanimously to recommend booster doses of Moderna and Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccines for millions of Americans, The New York Times reported.
The announcement comes one day after the FDA amended the emergency use authorizations for the COVID-19 vaccines made by Moderna and Johnson & Johnson, allowing for the administration of an additional dose.
Five things to know:
- The panel recommended that people who received Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine should receive an additional dose at least two months after their initial dose.
- For Americans who received two doses of the Moderna's vaccine, the advisers said boosters should be administered to those ages 65 and older, those who are ages 50-64 and are at high risk of developing severe COVID-19, and those who live in long-term care facilities. The panel said the boosters should be administered at least six months after the second dose.
- For Moderna's vaccine, the advisers gave a less stringent recommendation for Americans ages 18-49 who are at high risk of developing severe COVID-19 and those whose jobs put them at a higher risk of COVID-19 infection. The panel said these Americans may choose to receive a booster after considering their individual risk.
- The panel recommended Americans stick with the same drugmaker that made the vaccine with which they were originally inoculated, but added that people can choose to mix doses because of preference or vaccine availability.
- The CDC committee emphasized that people who received two doses of the vaccines made by Pfizer or Moderna and those who received one dose of Johnson & Johnson's vaccine should still consider themselves fully vaccinated.