US COVID-19 booster shots: Who could be eligible after receiving Moderna or J&J vaccines?

The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved booster shots of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for the elderly and high-risk adults in America. The highly-anticipated decision came after ascertaining the benefit-risk balance in a meeting involving the regulatory agency and an internal advisory committee vote. However, permission to get the booster vaccine has only been given to those who have initially received the Pfizer vaccine.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advisory group on Thursday voted in support of the use of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID 19 booster shots. The booster vaccine has now been authorised for anyone who has had the Pfizer vaccine administered in the past. However, those administered with Moderna and Johnson & Johnson doses will have to wait for the FDA to make any further decisions on the same.

Evidence showed that the immunity gained from a Pfizer vaccine weakens over time. Thus, the US health officials voted in support of the boosters. They also emphasised that the boosters must be administered at least six months into the second dose of the Pfizer vaccine. Meanwhile, international reports claim that Moderna has now submitted data on its own COVID-19 booster shot, instead of waiting for the decision on Pfizer’s additional shot.

Booster vaccine eligibility

About 22 million Americans will be eligible for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID booster jab, according to a bulletin released by the CDC. More than half of them are above 65 years of age. According to the CDC, the additional vaccine has been recommended at least six months after the initial two doses of the Pfizer vaccine.

Booster vaccine age group

According to the FDA, the Pfizer booster vaccine can be administered to anyone aged 18-65. The CDC voted in favour of the boosters being administered to people aged 65 and over and nursing home residents. Meanwhile, people aged 50-64 with underlying medical conditions was given the nod to take the booster vaccine. People aged 18-49 with underlying medical conditions based on their “individual benefit and risk” have also been given the nod. However, a fourth vote recommending group of people aged 18-64 who face high risks of coronavirus infection at their workplace for the shot, failed to get the nod from CDC.

Image: AP