Moderna, J&J: What to Know About Booster Shots for Those Who Didn’t Get Pfizer.
Moderna
Many people who had the Pfizer COVID vaccination are now eligible for booster shots,
but what about individuals who got the Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccines?
So far, here’s what we know:
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Can I get a booster shot now?
Some individuals who got the Moderna vaccination are already eligible for booster doses,
but no decision made yet for those who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
US authorities are likely to make a decision on broad boosters for those brands at a later date.
The agency also said that it has no evidence on whether mixing and matching and administering a Pfizer injection is safe or effective.
Moderna wants its third dosage to be half of the initial doses,
adding to the complexity of future booster shot choices.
Moderna previously published information on breakthrough cases and said that it supports the widespread use of COVID-19 vaccine booster injections.
However, while the FDA’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee discussed whether third doses of Pfizer and BioNTech’s vaccine should be administered,
federal health officials indicated they needed more time to examine Moderna’s request for more doses.
Pfizer and Moderna boosters, on the other hand,
have previously been authorized in the United States for select individuals with compromised immune systems, including cancer patients and transplant recipients.
According to the CDC, those on the list include:
Have you been undergoing active cancer therapy for tumors or blood cancers?
I’ve had an organ transplant and am on immunosuppressive medication.
Have you had a stem cell transplant in the past two years or are you on immunosuppressive medication?
Primary immunodeficiency may be mild, moderate,
or severe (such as DiGeorge syndrome, Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome)
HIV infection that is advanced or untreated
Treatment with high-dose corticosteroids or other medicines that weaken your immune system
“People should speak with their healthcare practitioner about their medical condition and if receiving an extra
dosage is suitable for them,” the FDA advises.
The Johnson & Johnson vaccination is exempt from the FDA’s and CDC’s approval and recommended for
immunocompromised people.
Last week, Johnson & Johnson published data indicating that a booster dosage of their one-shot coronavirus
vaccine results in a robust immune response months after the initial treatment.
In a statement, J&J said it conducted two early trials in individuals who had previously received the vaccine and
discovered that a second dosage resulted in enhanced antibody response in adults aged 18 to 55.
The findings of the research are yet to be peer-reviewed.
The firm is in discussions with authorities such as the United States Food and Drug Administration,
the European Medicines Agency, and others about utilizing booster doses of their vaccine.
Officials with the Department of Health said they anticipate further information in the autumn,
and will “keep the public updated with a timely strategy for J&J booster injections as well.”
Who is eligible now under the recent guidance?
Boosters should be given to individuals 65 and older, nursing home residents,
and those aged 50 to 64 who have dangerous underlying health conditions, according to the CDC.
CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky, on the other hand,
added individuals aged 18 to 64 who work in health care or have another profession that puts them at risk of
contracting the virus to the list.
Booster dosages had previously been approved by the FDA for those 65 and older,
younger individuals with underlying health problems,
and people who work in occupations that put them at high risk for COVID-19.
Once they’ve had their last Pfizer injection for at least six months,
they’ll get the additional dosage.
Those who have gotten vaccinations from Moderna or Johnson & Johnson are not yet eligible.
According to the CDC, the following people are eligible:
People 65 and older, as well as residents in long-term care facilities, should get a booster shot of Pfizer-COVID-19
BioNTech’s vaccine at least 6 months after their Pfizer-BioNTech primary series.
People 50–64 years old with underlying medical conditions should get a booster shot of Pfizer-COVID-19
BioNTech’s vaccine at least 6 months after their Pfizer-BioNTech primary series.
What qualifies as an underlying health condition? The CDC has compiled a list:
Cancer
Chronic kidney disease is a condition that affects the kidneys
COPD, moderate-to-severe asthma, interstitial lung disease, cystic fibrosis,
and pulmonary hypertension is all chronic lung disorders.
Alzheimer’s disease or other neurological disorders
Diabetes is a disease that affects people (type 1 or type 2)
Down syndrome is a condition in which a person
Heart problems (such as heart failure,
coronary artery disease, cardiomyopathies, or hypertension)
HIV infection is a virus that causes AIDS.
Immunodeficiency is a condition in which one’s immune system is impaired (weakened immune system)
Hepatitis is a disease of the liver.
Obesity and being overweight
Pregnancy
Thalassemia, often known as sickle cell disease, is a blood disorder that affects people.
Whether you’re a current or past smoker,
Transplantation of a solid organ or blood stem cells
Stroke, also known as cerebrovascular disease,
is a condition that impairs blood flow to the brain.
Disorders of substance abuse
President Joe Biden encouraged individuals who are now eligible to receive a booster injection to do so on Friday.
“My message today is this: If you received the Pfizer vaccination in January, February,
or March of this year and you’re over 65 years old, get the booster,” he added. “Alternatively,
if you have a medical condition such as diabetes or are a frontline worker such as a health care professional or a
teacher, you may receive a free booster right now.”
When might I be able to get a booster shot?
Despite recent opposition, several senior US health experts believe boosters will ultimately gain wider clearance
in the next weeks or months. “This is not the end of the story,
” Dr. Anthony Fauci stated over the weekend.
If additional data reveals that more individuals require a booster,
the CDC panel’s guidelines will be revised, according to the panel.
The exact date of the next event is yet unknown.
If I got the Moderna or J&J vaccine, should I get a booster shot of the Pfizer vaccine?
Pfizer injections are not advised for individuals who different brands of vaccination first,
according to federal authorities.
Dr. Davidson Hamer of Boston Medical Center told NBC10 Boston last week,
“That’s a topic that’s been looked at to some degree in the United Kingdom.”
“Pfizer followed AstraZeneca and found a very strong immune response.
The vaccination acts in a variety of ways. More research is needed,
but preliminary evidence suggests that the technique is safe.”
“A third dosage of the same mRNA vaccine should be utilized,”
the CDC recommends for individuals who got the Moderna or Pfizer vaccination.
“A person should get no more than three doses of the mRNA vaccination.
If the mRNA vaccine product used in the first two doses is unavailable or unknown,
any mRNA COVID-19 vaccine product may be used “According to the agency’s website.
When can eligible people get their third dose?
The additional dosage would be provided to individuals who are qualified under the FDA and CDC’s recent
decisions after they have been six months since their previous Pfizer injection.
The FDA decided that transplant patients and those with impaired immunity may obtain a third dosage of the
vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna at least 28 days after their second injection.
Last month, Walgreens stated that its pharmacies would provide extra COVID-19 vaccination doses to individuals
with weakened immune systems who qualify.
Walgreens has started providing walk-in same-day appointments to such patients in certain locations,
according to the firm. To verify their eligibility,
patients should bring their immunization cards or record to their visits.
Eligible vaccinated Americans would be able to get their third dosage six months after having their second Pfizer injection,
according to a new FDA approval for elderly and high-risk groups.
Are there any risks with getting a booster shot? What about side effects?
According to the CDC, there are minimal hazards among those who might benefit from a booster.
Serious adverse effects with the first two Pfizer dosages are very uncommon,
with the exception of heart inflammation, which may occur in younger men.
There are no warning flags in Israel’s data,
which has given almost 3 million individuals — mainly 60 and older — a third Pfizer dosage.
The third shot’s adverse effects “were comparable to those of the two-dose series,” according to the CDC.
Fatigue and discomfort at the injection site are the most frequent complaints,
although “the majority of symptoms were mild to moderate.”
“Serious adverse effects are uncommon but may occur,” according to the CDC, as with prior doses of the vaccine.
Will booster shots contain the original vaccine or one tailored to delta?
Boosters will consist of an additional dosage of the initial vaccination.
Experimental dosages adjusted to better match delta are still being studied by manufacturers.
There is no available evidence to suggest that now is the right moment to make such a drastic change, which would take longer to implement.
Furthermore, an independent study has shown that the original vaccination generates antibodies that may target delta.
Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla told The Associated Press, “I’m very,
very optimistic that this vaccination would work against delta with a single booster of the same vaccine.”
How much protection will I get?
Experts claim no one knows what the “magic line” is – the antibody level known as the correlate of protection below which individuals are vulnerable to even little illness.
However, the primary goal of vaccinations is to avoid serious illness.
Furthermore, people’s reactions to their first immunization differ.
Antibodies are produced in greater quantities by younger individuals than by older folks.
That implies that months later when antibody levels have naturally dropped,
some individuals may still have enough antibodies to protect themselves against infection,
while others may not.
According to CDC statistics, vaccinations continue to provide significant protection against severe disease for people of all ages,
but there is a small decline among the elderly.
In addition, protection to milder infections seems to be fading months after individuals are first immunized.
Won’t antibodies wane again even after a booster?
Eventually. Dr. William Moss of Johns Hopkins University warned,
“We don’t know the length of protection after the boosters.”
Antibodies, however, are just one line of protection.
T cells, a kind of white blood cell, assist prevent severe disease by destroying virus-infected cells if an infection slips by. Memory B cells, on the other hand,
go into action to produce a slew of new antibodies.
These backup mechanisms may explain why most people’s protection against severe COVID-19 has held up so far.
One sign of trouble: early data from the CDC shows that hospitalization prevention efficacy among individuals 75 and older fell somewhat in July,
from 94 percent to 80 percent, compared to 94 percent or higher for other adults.
Am I still considered fully vaccinated if I don’t get a booster?
According to Dr. Kathleen Dooling of the CDC, even with the addition of boosters,
someone who just the first two doses is still consider completely vaccinated.
This is a crucial issue for individuals who live in areas of the country where evidence of immunization is required to dine in a restaurant or access other places of business.
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Moderna, J&J: What to Know About Booster Shots for Those Who Didn’t Get Pfizer
