The authorization process for Covid-19 vaccines can get confusing. Here’s a look at where we stand on Covid-19 boosters in the US today:
Pfizer
In September, the US Food and Drug Administration and US Centers and Disease Control and Prevention signed off on boosters of the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine for adults 65 and older, adults at high risk of severe Covid-19 and adults with frequent exposure to the coronavirus through their work. Those boosters were authorized only for people who had already received the Pfizer vaccine at least six months earlier.
On Wednesday, the FDA authorized the Pfizer/BioNTech booster for those who may be eligible but are fully vaccinated with either the Moderna or Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccines, as a mix-and-match approach. Today, CDC’s vaccine advisers are considering whether to recommend such mixing and matching, and the CDC director will need to sign off on the recommendation. If she does, the mixing and matching of boosters could be available to the public in a matter of days.
Also today, Pfizer and BioNTech announced that a booster dose was found to have a high efficacy — 95.6% — against Covid-19 in a Phase 3 trial.
Moderna
The FDA gave emergency use authorization on Wednesday for a half dose of Moderna's vaccine as a booster for people fully vaccinated at least six months ago who are also at least 65, or who are at least 18 and at high risk of severe Covid-19 or have frequent institutional or occupational exposure to the virus.
Now vaccine advisers to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are considering the FDA’s authorization and will vote on whether to recommend the booster for use.
Johnson & Johnson
On Wednesday, the FDA authorized booster doses of Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine for anyone who received It at least two months ago. The J&J vaccine authorized only for those 18 and older.
The company announced last month that a two-dose version of the vaccine provides 94% protection against symptomatic infection.
If the CDC director signs off soon, people could start getting Moderna and J&J boosters within days.
Mixing and matching boosters
The FDA said any of the three authorized vaccines could be used as a booster in a "mix-and-match" approach.
Dr. Peter Marks, director of the FDA's vaccine arm, the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, said the ability to use any authorized vaccine as a booster will simplify matters for people.
The FDA said it decided to allow the mix-and-match boosters after National Institutes of Health researchers presented their findings last week to its vaccine advisers. Although the findings were limited, they made it clear mixing up the different vaccines was safe.
If the CDC director signs off soon, people could start getting Moderna and J&J boosters within days.
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October 22, 2021 at 12:26AM
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The latest on Covid-19 boosters in the US - cnn.com
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