the general population should probably be put on hold until the fall, some senior Biden administration officials suggest.
“Barring any surprises from new variants, maybe the best thing is to think about our booster strategy in conjunction with the influenza vaccine next fall, and get as many people as possible boosted then,” Dr. Peter Marks, the FDA’s top vaccine regulator, told the Times last month.
Any recommendation on a second booster shot would likely target people most at risk, possibly based on underlying conditions as well as age, Dr. Anthony Fauci, chief medical adviser to the White House, has said.
In addition, the administration is running short on funds for COVID vaccines, a senior White House official told reporters on condition of anonymity Tuesday, the Times reported. The official said there is enough money to cover fourth shots for people with weakened immune systems, but additional funding from Congress would be needed to pay for second boosters for all Americans.
A U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study released last month showed that protection began to weaken after a booster shot of either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, but it did not analyze cases by age, immune deficiencies or underlying health conditions.
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Do you qualify for a booster?
According to the FDA, you can get a booster if:
Pfizer-BioNTech
- You can get a booster if:
- It’s been at least 5 months since completing a primary series AND you are:
- Age 12+
- If eligible, you can get a booster of:
- Pfizer-BioNTech*
- Moderna
- Janssen (J&J)
*Only Pfizer-BioNTech can be used as a booster in those aged 12-17.
Moderna
- You can get a booster if:
- It’s been at least 5 months since completing a primary series AND you are:
- Age 18+
- If eligible, you can get a booster of:
- Moderna
- Pfizer-BioNTech
- Janssen (J&J)
Janssen (J&J)
- You can get a booster if:
- It’s been at least 2 months since completing primary vaccination AND you are:
- Age 18+
- If eligible, you can get a booster of:
- Janssen (J&J)
- Moderna
- Pfizer-BioNTech
For more information, visit the FDA’s website.