The Food and Drug Administration might soon allow Americans to receive a booster shot of the COVID-19 vaccine different from their original dose.
Vaccines reduce the risks of getting a disease by working with your body’s natural defenses to build protection. When you get a vaccine, your immune system responds.
The federal drug regulator is expected to announce the so-called “mix and match” strategy on Wednesday when it officially authorizes boosters of the two-dose Moderna and single-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccines.
The New York Times reports that the news comes on the heels of a study presented to the FDA advisory panel last week by the National Institute of Health that suggested people that received the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine might benefit from receiving a Pfizer or Moderna booster.
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The study found that people who got the J&J vaccine saw a significant rise in antibody levels when receiving a Moderna booster compared to receiving another round of J&J.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the FDA had previously advised against mixing vaccines from the three manufacturers. Previously, it was recommended that people stuck with the manufacturer they chose for their first dose.
Advisers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will discuss boosters generally on Thursday and issue recommendations on who should get them, meaning millions more Americans could be eligible by the end of the week.
The FDA is expected to approve booster shots for everyone 18 and older who received the J&J vaccine. Pfizer boosters have been approved for those 65 and older or high risk, which is expected to be the guidelines for Moderna.
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The FDA is not expected to recommend one brand over another and may say it is preferable for people to get the same version when possible, the report said. Yet it is responding to calls for flexibility.
So far, about 10.6 million Americans have received an extra dose.
Vaccination is safe and side effects from a vaccine are usually minor and temporary, such as a sore arm or mild fever. More serious side effects are possible, but extremely rare.
Any licensed vaccine is rigorously tested across multiple phases of trials before it is approved for use and regularly reassessed once it is introduced. Scientists are also constantly monitoring information from several sources for any sign that a vaccine may cause health risks.
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