Extra shots are now being administered for those who meet the CDC’s requirements.
All three COVID-19 vaccines approved by the FDA have now been approved for booster shots. With the rise of the delta variant this summer, infections and hospitalizations increased, even in those who were already vaccinated, considered breakthrough cases. The vaccine companies were already experimenting with booster shots to further society’s immunity, but the presence of the delta variant furthered this purpose with rapid action.
When the first round of vaccine distributions began earlier this year, there was talk that receiving the COVID-19 vaccine would be an annual thing, much like the flu shot, and especially because antibodies for COVID-19 only remain in the body for ninety days. Now, depending on the company, the CDC is recommending getting vaccinated again as early as two months after first vaccinations.
For Pfizer and Moderna, the Center for Disease Controls (CDC) is strongly recommending those who are older than 65, older than 18 with pre-existing conditions and older than 18 in long-term care or high risk settings to get a booster shot six months after they completed their original dosage.
The CDC is recommending anyone older than 18 get their booster shot for the Johnson & Johnson vaccine two months after their original shot.
There is little difference between the shots compared to the ones distributed earlier this year. For Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson, it is the same solution, but for Moderna (whose dosage was three times the amount of Pfizer’s for the same efficiency), the dosage was cut in half.
The side effects are also similar to the original vaccine dosages, including headache, fever and chills. The swollen lymph nodes that may arise from the vaccine are more common with the booster shot than with the first two shots, but for the most part, CDC studies show that the side effects have remained the same. Most importantly, they are sure to feature in their studies that the long-term and serious side effects are minimal.
The booster shots are encouraging to see during the delta variant because while the first vaccines remain effective, as seen from studies done by the CDC this summer, high risk areas and areas of high population concentration are still seeing cases rise. By bringing in booster shots, those infection levels can be brought down again or at least flatten the curve.
The most exciting part of the CDC’s message on booster shots is that they are now authorizing the use of mixing vaccines. If your first two shots were Pfizer, your booster shot does not need to be Pfizer, but can instead be Johnson & Johnson or Moderna.
NPR discussed this phenomenon of mixing vaccines and explained some of the benefits to this method. If your first shot was Johnson & Johnson, it is highly recommended by the CDC to receive an mRNA booster shot by either Pfizer or Moderna so you get the whole of the antibodies. If you received Moderna for your first two shots, you could get Pfizer as your booster shot since it will be a lower dosage.
During the height of the delta variant this past summer, the CDC performed a study on front-line workers and found that vaccines went from 91 percent efficacy to 66 percent efficacy, an efficacy that is still good as it is around the Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine original efficacy. Having these booster shots allows for overall vaccine efficiency to increase while bringing more protection back to communities. NPR goes on to say, “The bottom line, these scientists agree, is that all these ways of boosting your immunity against COVID-19 are safe and effective.”
In relaying her study to NPR, a University of Saskatchewan virologist, Angela Rasmussen, says, “It may just be that you do need this third dose to really lock in that long-lasting durability.” Data is still being collected to understand the extent of the long-term efficiency of booster shots, but vaccinating those in the most high-risk groups and working down the population is a great place to start.
