Should you mix?

Dr. Jay Barkey, Associate Professor of Infectious Diseases Emory University School of MedicineSaid that the vaccine is still working, even though boosters are being deployed in the United States.

“They are very effective in preventing death from COVID and very effective in preventing serious illnesses that require people to be hospitalized for COVID,” he said in a media briefing on Friday. I told you.

“”[Boosters are] For real [about] We are trying to increase protection from infection, “he added.

The CDC and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are focusing on these high-risk groups when outlining who is eligible to get the COVID-19 booster.

Among people who have been vaccinated with any of these mRNA vaccines, the following can get boost immunity at least 6 months after the first series.

• 65 years of age or older
• 18-64 years old Fundamental medical condition
• 18-64 years old living in Nursing care settings Life support facilities, inpatient psychiatric facilities, group homes, homeless shelters, etc.
• 18-64 years old working at High risk settingIncludes health workers and other first responders, teachers and school support staff, food and agricultural workers

Pregnant and recently pregnant If they become infected with the new coronavirus, they are at increased risk of severe COVID-19 and hospitalization, so the CDC includes them in the same group as people with underlying illness.

Some people with immunodeficiency are eligible for a third dose. This is considered part of their first series. Currently CDC Not recommended They also get boosters.

Pfizer-BioNTech booster is given as a full dose. Moderna-NIAID boosters are given in half doses.

People over the age of 18 who have been vaccinated with the J & J vaccine are eligible for booster at least 2 months after the first dose.

This broader eligibility is due to the fact that a single dose of this vaccine provides less protection than a single dose of the mRNA vaccine.

September, CDC Recommended The following groups vaccinated with Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine should do it Get a booster. The same guidelines may apply to Moderna-NIAID boosters.

• 65 years of age or older
• 50-64 years old with underlying illness
• 18 to 64 years old living in a long-term care facility

Middle-aged and older adults with an underlying illness are at increased risk of becoming seriously ill when they have an infection.

People living in long-term care facilities are at increased risk of coronavirus infection because of their close contact with many others. Many of these people may also have chronic medical problems.

CDC refers to other people who are vaccinated with mRNA and are eligible for boosters May consider Get it based on their personal risks and interests.

In addition, the agency recommends that anyone who has received the J & J vaccine should do it Get boosters to match their level of protection with that provided by the mRNA vaccine.

The CDC reports this week that it will release additional guidelines to help determine if and which boosters to get. Washington post..

Currently, there is little scientific evidence to help people decide which booster to get.

Most of the available ones come from recent ones Preprint study According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), which examined booster mixing and matching.

Researchers have found that each of the approved vaccines, when used as a booster, raises antibody levels in the blood, regardless of which vaccine was given in the first series.

Separately study, Pfizer and BioNTech have discovered that their vaccine boosters are strongly protected from coronavirus infections. These results are also tentative.

This means that the vaccine you choose as a booster will enhance your immune protection.

However, what stood out in the NIH study was that those who started J & J saw a significant increase in antibodies with the mRNA booster compared to the second J & J administration.

“For those who have received the J & J vaccine, getting a booster with one of the mRNA vaccines may be better than getting another J & J booster,” he said. Dr. Shoba Swaminasan, Associate Professor of Rutgers New Jersey Medical College and Specialist in Infectious Diseases.

The data published so far from the NIH study are preliminary and look only at antibodies, which is one aspect of the immune response.

“I don’t think we can make a firm conclusion that one vaccine is better than the other,” Varkey said.

“”[The NIH study] It helps answer the question of what our antibodies do.But what [it] There is no answer:’In the real world, do some magical combinations [of vaccines] Is it like strengthening protection? “He said.

NIH researchers will publish data on the effects of various boosters on memory cells, B cells, and T cells (cell-mediated immune response) at a later date.

“Our immune system is much more complex and robust than a simple measurement of antibodies,” says Varkey. Over time, “we reduce antibodies and focus more on memory cells that protect us from dying.”

Individuals may also want to weigh the personal benefits and risks of each vaccine.

Men under the age of 40 are at increased risk of heart inflammation — Myocarditis and pericarditis — Because you are using an mRNA vaccine, we recommend that you consider a J & J booster.

Most cases of heart inflammation after COVID-19 vaccination are mild and patients respond well to treatment.

J & J vaccine Related There is a rare type of blood clot in that age group.

“If a young woman needs a booster, the mRNA booster may be better because there is no risk of coagulation,” says Swaminasan.

People who have an allergy or other serious reaction to the COVID-19 vaccine should first check with their doctor before receiving booster immunization.

Varky suggests that anyone with questions about boosters should look for reliable medical advice.

“This decision on what to boost is a personal decision that most people should make with the advice of a doctor,” he said.