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Have you heard of the booster shot or third dose? Boosters have become a common fixture of headlines and trends these days. For the unversed, booster shots are supplementary vaccinations given to fully immunised patients at a predetermined frequency to provide additional protection. Several countries have approved the use of booster shots for immunocompromised people. Health officials have also recommended mixing and matching different doses of COVID-19. But the US Food and Drug Administration is now planning to grant a go-ahead for 'mix-and-match' approach for the third jab.
The US Food and Drug Administration is preparing to approve a mix-and-match' method for the third jab after endorsing, both Moderna and Johnson & Johnson's Covid booster shots last week. According to the New York Times, the FDA is anticipated to approve the mix-and-match strategy by Wednesday evening, after which it will be forwarded to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and its vaccine advisory group, who will make their own judgement.
The CDC's next vaccination advisory meeting is set for October 20-21, and the boosters are expected to be discussed. According to the article, more Americans may be eligible for extra shots by the end of the week. The FDA's Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee met for two days last week to discuss and approve evidence on the safety and effectiveness of Moderna and Johnson & Johnson's booster injection in adults. Pfizer's Covid booster shots were approved by US regulators earlier this month. However, unlike Pfizer, Moderna is only suggested for a half-dose booster to help with virus prevention.
According to the New York Times, the mix-and-match strategy may benefit patients who received the initial Covid vaccination from Johnson & Johnson and give doctors and other vaccinators more freedom. Dr Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease specialist, signalled publicly on Sunday that the administration was on the verge of allowing more flexibility, at least for Johnson & Johnson's users. On Fox News Sunday, he stated, "I believe there's going to be a degree of flexibility of what a person who got the J&J originally can do, either with J&J or with the mix-and-match from other products."
The FDA panel also discussed the results of a preliminary study of a US trial on mixing Covid-19 vaccines as part of a booster programme, a practice that some experts believe could boost a person's immune response while also easing logistical challenges in rolling out boosters, during the two-day meeting. While the government will not advocate one shot over another, vaccine providers could use their discretion to give a different brand, according to sources familiar with the agency's plans. This is a freedom that state health officials have been demanding for weeks.
People who have received Johnson & Johnson's Covid vaccine will have better results with a booster shot of either Pfizer or Moderna, according to a study submitted to the FDA's advisory group last week by the US National Institutes of Health (NIH). Officials have stated that the federal government will only fund the expense of a different vaccine as a booster if the FDA approves the strategy.
(with inputs from agencies)