First modification:
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will consult a panel of experts this Thursday before finalizing official recommendations on who and when should receive boosters.
Approved the booster dose of a different pharmaceutical for Americans who received the vaccine from Moderna or Johnson & Johnson against Covid-19, as stated this Wednesday, October 20, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA in its acronym in English).
This decision would allow millions of Americans to receive boosters by “mixing the vaccines,” making it easier to get another dose, especially for people who experienced a side effect with another brand but want to complete their schedule.
BREAKING: Boosters now approved for all 3 vaccines in the US.
Pfizer & Moderna for those> 65 or at risk. J&J for all> 18.
FDA also authorizes mix & match for booster shots.
– Andy Slavitt 🇺🇸💉 (@ASlavitt) October 20, 2021
For the combination of vaccines in the booster doses, the FDA said “any brand” can be used, regardless of which one was given first. With this decision, the United States hopes that the vaccination campaign will accelerate even more, especially in institutional settings and in nursing homes, sectors where vaccines from different pharmaceutical companies have been administered.
In the case of Johnson & Johnson’s single-shot vaccine, the FDA said that all American recipients, regardless of age, could receive a second dose at least two months after the initial vaccination. While, in the case of Moderna, they suggest that it be six months later.
“Being able to trade these vaccines is a good thing, it’s like what we do with flu vaccines. Most people don’t know what brand of flu vaccine they have received,” said Dr. Peter Marks of the FDA.
Officials cautioned that while many people will choose to receive a booster from the same pharmacy as their initial vaccination, this approval means a much more flexible booster campaign, given that, according to them, many people do not even remember which brand of vaccine they received.
The agency’s mix-and-match decision was based on preliminary results of a government study of different booster combinations that showed that an additional dose, of any type, accelerates levels of antibodies that fight the virus.
In the same study, it was shown that Johnson & Johnson single-dose recipients had a much higher response if they received a complete booster from Moderna or Pfizer instead of the same injection from J&J.
“Today, available data suggest that immunity is declining in some populations of fully vaccinated people. The availability of these licensed boosters is important for continued protection against Covid-19 disease,” said Dr. Janet Woodcock, Commissioner at FDA functions.
Although all three brands continue to provide effective protection against hospitalization and death, once the virus is contracted, US health authorities insist that the priority remains to vaccinate for the first time more than 65 million Americans who have yet to have been immunized.
With AP
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