Modena and Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Shot Green Light by CDC

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officially recommended booster shots to many recipients of Modana and Johnson & Johnson vaccines on Thursday. As a result, up to 99 million Americans are eligible for additional doses.

Providers are hoping to manage their first booster shots for newly qualified Americans as early as tomorrow.

“These recommendations are another example of our basic effort to protect as many people as possible from COVID-19. Evidence is that all three US-approved COVID-19 vaccines are safe. CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said in a statement Thursday.

The CDC move follows an hour-long meeting of the institution’s external vaccine advisors, who finally unanimously voted for booster recommendations.

In line with an emergency use authorization issued by the Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday, the panel received a second FDA-approved COVID-19 vaccine of 15 million at least two months after Johnson & Johnson was administered. Decided to return to all adult humans. First vaccinated.

Similar to Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine, the Commission said that “high-risk” adults who were first vaccinated with Moderna at least 6 months ago could receive a third dose of either vaccine. Said. This includes not only the elderly aged 65 and over, but also those who are vulnerable to severe COVID-19 cases or who are frequently exposed to the virus based on where they live or work. increase.

The CDC said it would allow Americans to choose a different brand for booster shots than the one that was originally vaccinated, hoping to add flexibility to the booster shot program. Initial data It suggests that so-called “heterogeneous” or “mix and match” boosts (a common method on some other shots) are safe and effective.

Some members of the panel have taken a more “tolerant” approach after CDC officials said they were first considering whether Americans would recommend maintaining the original vaccine brand in most situations. Prompted.

“As clinicians in this field, I see very savvy people who can read the medical literature. They seem to advocate some of the more powerful approaches to booster vaccines. And fair. For the purpose, I really want it, to increase flexibility. ” Dr. Camille Cotton, one of the voting members of ACIP, said.

This may solve some of the logistical challenges faced by booster shot deployments. According to health officials, some people do not have a record of the initial dose they received, some have difficulty finding the brand, and others are worried about side effects and allergic reactions.

Among them are myocarditis and pericarditis. Rare side effects associated with the Pfizer and Modana vaccines often require hospitalization, but standard treatment usually cures them.data Submit to the committee On Thursday, it suggests that the risk may be highest among young male recipients of Modana shots.

Some Johnson & Johnson recipients want more protection provided by switching to Moderna or Pfizer boosters, but there is limited evidence to support that approach.

State and local health authorities, pharmacies, and other vaccinations are preparing to add Modana and Johnson & Johnson booster shots to their schedule in addition to the new formulation of Pfizer’s vaccine for several weeks. Young children.

A spokesman for the National Association of Chain Drug Stores said the pharmacy is “closely working” with the CDC and is ready to launch booster shots of Moderna and Johnson & Johnson, as recommended by the authorities. In a statement, Walgreens said the online schedule was “available as early as Saturday” and ready to launch booster shots across the store “as early as tomorrow.”

Similar to the additional dose of Pfizer, the new booster can be administered from the same vials that the vaccinated person already has in stock for the first series of vaccinations. The FDA said Wednesday that the company’s booster shots are half the size of the first two doses, allowing up to 20 booster doses to be withdrawn from Moderna’s vials.

After some of the CDC’s advisors expressed concern about Moderna’s decision to use one vial for two different dose sizes, the company cites the need to deploy booster shots in a “pandemic situation.” Defended the move. The company is still considering changing the vaccine packaging, said Dr. Jacqueline Miller of Moderna, with a new dose, especially for younger children on the horizon.

“It will be difficult. We need to update the inventory and waste reporting system there, and we also need to change the inventory-based scheduling system,” said Dr. Litjen Tan, Chief Policy Immunization Action Coalition. The partnership manager told CBS News earlier this month.

According to Tan, many vaccinated people have experience using large multi-dose vials for regular shots, but dose sizes are rarely different, which can increase the risk of error and contamination. There is sex.

“At some point there was an announcement of the flu vaccine, and half the dose of the one-season vaccine was approved for pediatric use, so some consideration and preparation was needed there. However, this is not common. “