Because a variant of the COVID-19 virus, called the delta variant, has recently become the dominant circulating strain and cases of COVID-19 have been increasing across the U. S, the CDC on September 24th, 2021, issued a recommendation for an additional booster shot to help strengthen protection against severe disease in those populations who are at high-risk for exposure to COVID-19 or the complications from severe disease. (For details on the delta variant, please see the next section).
CDC Booster Recommendations:
The CDC as of October 27, 2021 updated its recommends for a second booster shot for the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccines and a booster or second shot for the J&J Janssen vaccine under the following terms and conditions:
For the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccine: Individuals are eligible for a second booster if they are:
- 65 years and older
- Age 18+ who live in a long-term care setting.
- Age 18+ who have underlying medical conditions.
- Age 18+ who work or live in high-risk settings.
- Individuals are at least 6 months after their second shot
Note: Any of the approved COVID-19 vaccines can be used as a second booster or second shot. Therefore, the CDC now allows for mix and match dosing for booster shots. However, the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine when used as the second booster is half the dose of the vaccine that individuals received for their initial series.
For the J&J Janssen vaccine: Individuals who had their first J&J shot are eligible for a booster shot under the following conditions:
- Age 18 years or older.
- At least 2 months after the initial shot.
- Any of the COVID-19 vaccines can be used as a booster.
Update: Effective November 2, 2021, the CDC has issued an updated vaccine recommendation to include children aged 5-11 years. The specific recommendation terms and conditions include the following:
- Children ages 5 through 11 years can receive one-third of the adult dose of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine. Smaller needles, designed specifically for children, are used for children ages 5 through11 years.
Source:
COVID-19 Vaccines for Children and Teens | CDCUpdate: Effective November 19, 2021, the FDA amended the EUA for both the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines authorizing an additional booster dose for all individuals 18 years and older after completion of their primary vaccination series. The FDA and/or the CDC may add further recommendations in near future.
