Millions of Americans vaccinated against COVID-19 are eligible for a booster shot. Booster shots are designed to shock your immune system and keep you strong against the coronavirus. Experts say the increased protection offered by gifts is especially needed after the emergence of highly infectious microbial strains.
Boosters from Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson (J&J) are available at pharmacies, clinics, and doctor’s offices nationwide. Here is what you need to know about these additional doses:
Boosters are available, but not everyone qualifies for one.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 206 million Americans have been fully vaccinated, but not everyone who qualifies for the Covid vaccine can get a booster yet. Moderna and Johnson & Johnson (J&J) boosters are for use by adults 18 years of age and older only. People 12 years and older who have received the Pfizer vaccine are eligible for a booster dose. People vaccinated with Pfizer and Moderna can be vaccinated if they are at least 5 months away from their first vaccination. J&J vaccinated individuals are eligible for a booster 2 months after the first dose.
Moderna’s booster is a little different.
The Pfizer and J&J boosters have the same formulation and dosage as the first vaccines, but the Moderna booster is half the dose — 50 micrograms — of the first two vaccines. Clinical trial data has shown that the lower dose still produces a strong immune response, and the company says the higher dose contributes less to a greater global supply.
Booster shots enhance protection.
While coronavirus vaccines can fight infection (according to CDC data, unvaccinated people are about five times more likely to be tested for COVID-19 than vaccinated people), their power is limited by real serious illness, explains Anna Durbin, M.D. an expert on vaccines and infectious diseases at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. And the COVID-19 vaccine is very effective in keeping people out of the hospital and preventing them from succumbing to the disease. Unvaccinated people are about fourteen times more likely to die from the disease than their vaccinated peers, according to the data.
Who is eligible for the Moderna booster dose?
As of my knowledge cutoff date of September 2021, the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine had not yet been authorized for a booster dose by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). However, on September 22, 2021, the FDA authorized a booster dose of the Moderna vaccine for certain groups of people, specifically:
- Individuals aged 65 years and older
- Individuals aged 18-64 years who are at high risk of severe COVID-19 due to certain underlying medical conditions, such as diabetes, obesity, or heart disease
- Individuals aged 18-64 years who are at increased risk of COVID-19 exposure and transmission due to occupational or institutional settings, such as healthcare workers or residents of long-term care facilities.
