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<ul class="summary-list"><li>COVID-19 boosters are expected later this year.</li><li>It's too early to say for sure what side effects to expect.</li><li>But experts predict they won't be much worse than the original COVID-19 vaccines.</li></ul><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/when-will-us-reach-herd-immunity-coronavirus-vaccines-2021-5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">COVID-19 vaccine booster shots</a> probably won't cause worse side effects than the original vaccines, two leading experts have told Insider - although others say it's too early to say. A booster shot is an additional dose of a vaccine that augments the body's immune response. The tetanus vaccine requires an additional dose 10 years later to maintain immunity, for example.A booster for COVID-19 would either be a third dose of the same two-dose vaccine, or a bespoke dose designed for variants.<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/modernas-booster-vaccine-works-to-fight-coronavirus-variants-data-2021-5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Moderna,</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/pfizer-third-shot-likely-vaccine-booster-ceo-albert-bourla-2021-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pfizer</a>, and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/astrazeneca-covid-vaccine-variants-coronavirus-strains-mutations-2021-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AstraZeneca</a> are all testing both options with trial results expected later this year, including to see whether an additional dose helps protect against <keyword id="1754604" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="coronavirus">coronavirus</keyword> variants, particularly the worrisome variant from South Africa, called B.1.351, that can sometimes <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/pfizer-biontech-vaccine-south-africa-variant-covid-vaccines-mutation-2021-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">escape the immune response. </a>The original two-dose COVID-19 vaccines made by the three drugmakers usually <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/most-common-side-effects-of-coronavirus-vaccines-2021-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cause side effects</a> that self-resolve after a few days."It will be no different or worse than the second dose," Amesh Adalja, assistant professor at the Johns Hopkins University Center for <keyword id="6354750" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="health">Health</keyword> Security told Insider. Adalja said that people may experience a sore arm or aches and pains. Already, we're starting to get early data from <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/modernas-booster-vaccine-works-to-fight-coronavirus-variants-data-2021-5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Moderna to suggest</a> a third dose boosts the antibody response and side effects were generally similar to the second dose.Read more: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/covid-variants-called-escape-mutants-could-throw-us-back-into-lockdown-2021-5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">How coronavirus variants called 'escape mutants' threaten to undo all our progress</a>The vaccine made specifically for the variant will use the same capsule, called a lipid nanoparticle, to deliver the vaccine's instructions to the body - it's just the instructions inside that change. Kathleen Neuzil, professor in vaccinology at the University of Maryland, told Insider that she anticipated that the nature of the side effects would be similar because the booster vaccines use the same lipid nanoparticle. The unknown is whether an additional third dose would cause worse side effects, she said. Adalja said that he didn't expect that the immune system would "overreact" to a third COVID-19 dose. He explained that tetanus boosters don't usually cause worse or different side effects to the original vaccine."No-one has ever called me about the tetanus vaccine boosters side effects and we give them all the time," Adalja said.<h2>Too early to say </h2>Insider previously reported that a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/man-just-got-3rd-moderna-covid-booster-vaccine-side-effects-2021-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">participant in the Moderna trial </a>said he experienced some arm pain the day he got the booster shot, as well as a low-grade fever, nausea, aches, and fatigue lasting about 24 hours. <keyword id="4912868" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="moderna">Moderna</keyword> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/modernas-booster-vaccine-works-to-fight-coronavirus-variants-data-2021-5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said in a press release Wednesday</a> that the side effects of the booster shots they had tested were "generally comparable" to those observed after a second dose of their vaccine.About 11% of the people who got the variant-specific booster reported a grade-three side effects severe enough to affect daily living, compared with 15% who got the third dose of the original shot, they said.The most common side effects were fatigue, headache, muscle pain, and joint pain.But not many people have received a third COVID-19 vaccine dose and we still haven't got data from AstraZeneca or <keyword id="44612" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Pfizer">Pfizer</keyword>."There aren't enough people who have had a third shot to give us an indication of what we might expect," Dr. Susan Bailey, elected president of the American Medical Association and immunology and allergy specialist told Insider.Professor Gregory Poland, consultant and the department of molecular pharmacology and experimental therapeutics at the Mayo Clinic, said that there was a demonstrable increased immune reaction to the second dose of COVID-19 vaccines from Moderna, Pfizer and AstraZeneca. "Until you get full data, you don't know," he said.<h2>Boosters every 12 months</h2>We don't yet know when COVID-19 boosters should be given or if they'll definitely be required. Studies have indicated that two-dose vaccine protection <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/modernas-covid-vaccine-remains-90-effective-six-months-later-2021-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">probably lasts at least 6 months</a>, but beyond this is unclear.<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/americans-might-get-booster-shoot-for-moderna-vaccines-this-year-2021-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Stephane Bancel</a>, CEO of Moderna, and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/albert-bourla-profile-pfizer-ceo-leadership-operations-vaccine-pandemic-2021-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Albert Bourla</a>, the CEO of Pfizer, have both suggested a booster shot <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/pfizer-third-shot-likely-vaccine-booster-ceo-albert-bourla-2021-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">would likely be needed within 12 months of getting vaccinated</a> to maintain protection.

Booster shots of COVID-19 vaccine probably won't cause worse side effects than the original vaccines, experts predict

<ul class="summary-list"><li>On Thursday the FDA's expert panel voted in favor of booster shots of <keyword id="11901412" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="moderna" source="Orion">Moderna</keyword>'s COVID-19 vaccine. </li><li>Moderna is seeking an OK for all older adults (65+) and younger adults at high risk of severe COVID-19.</li></ul>Moderna just got a step closer to rolling out a COVID-19 booster shot to the general public. A panel of independent experts convened by the Food and Drug Administration voted unanimously Thursday in favor of a Moderna booster shot for certain people who got their shot at least six months ago. The group supported offering an extra dose to adults 65 years and older, as well as younger adults who are at high risk of severe COVID-19.The recommendation, backed by a 19-0 vote by the committee, clears the way for the FDA to authorize a booster of Moderna's vaccine for more people. The FDA typically follows the recommendations of its advisory panel, but it is not required to do so.For many people in the US, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/pfizer-covid-booster-shot-whos-eligible-now-2021-9">the booster-shot campaign has already begun</a>. In August, the agency OK'd a third dose of Moderna's shot <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/fda-expands-covid-19-vaccine-authorization-eua-booster-rollout-2021-8">for people who are moderately or severely immunocompromised</a>. The FDA also <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/fda-authorizes-booster-shot-pfizer-biontech-covid-coronavirus-vaccine-2021-9">authorized a third dose of Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine in September</a> for all older adults and younger adults at high risk of severe disease. So far, about 8.6 million people in the US have received a booster shot, <a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#vaccinations_vacc-total-admin-rate-total">according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention</a>.<h2>Moderna's booster shot will be a smaller dose</h2>The Massachusetts <keyword id="11908912" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="biotech" source="Orion">biotech</keyword> is seeking to use a booster shot that is half the strength of the first two shots. Moderna said this lower dose still provided a robust immune response, as seen by higher levels of virus-fighting proteins called antibodies, and carried a similar side-effect profile as the second dose.Study results with Moderna's booster are limited, as the study is still ongoing and accruing data. Moderna's application includes trial data from 149 volunteers who got the lower-dose booster after being fully vaccinated. That trial failed to meet one of the two success criteria the FDA said it's looking for when reviewing booster shots, <a href="https://www.fda.gov/media/152991/download">the agency's review said</a>. The study succeeded in showing a booster raised antibody levels as high as the second dose, but the trial failed to meet the FDA's bar of showing the extra dose raised antibody levels at least fourfold from pre-booster levels. In a sign of the urgency fueling the booster debate, panelist Dr. Patrick Moore said he voted in favor of authorization from "more gut feeling than based on really, truly serious data.""The data itself is not strong, but it is certainly going in a direction that is supportive of this vote," said Moore, a microbiology and molecular genetics professor at the University of Pittsburgh.The safety profile of Moderna's booster shot was generally similar to the second dose. People under 65 years old reported more frequent side effects than older volunteers.The most common side effects after a booster shot included injection site pain, fatigue, headache and muscle pain. <h2>A Johnson &amp; Johnson booster shot could be next</h2>The FDA is also reviewing Johnson &amp; Johnson's application to give an extra dose for its single-shot vaccine. The expert panel will meet again Friday to discuss and vote on J&amp;J's booster shot.Boosters shots <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/who-needs-covid-19-booster-when-how-debate-got-confusing-2021-9">have turned into a contentious topic</a>, particularly on when exactly they are needed. It's <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/when-will-we-need-covid-booster-shots-vaccines-2021-6">unclear how long protection lasts from initial vaccination</a>, and it's also unknown how long a booster shot would protect people from COVID-19.Scientists are also divided over if booster shots should only be used if protection against severe illness is declining. Others say there's benefit in preventing milder COVID-19 cases among the vaccinated, and it's better to proactively respond to any signs of waning protection.While the FDA's expert panel is a critical hurdle to clear, the review process is still ongoing. The CDC <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2021/10/08/health/cdc-meeting-covid-vaccine-kids/index.html">will have its own advisory committee meet on October 20 and 21</a> to vote on recommendations for using Moderna and J&amp;J booster shots, if the FDA OKs the shots by then. The final step in the review will be the CDC's director finalizing its agency's recommendations on how to use the booster shots.

The FDA's expert panel just unanimously backed Moderna's booster shot for high-risk groups, paving way for the agency's OK

By Aditi Khanna London, Mar 21 (PTI) England's National Health Service (NHS) opened bookings on Monday for the fourth COVID-19 vaccine dose for those aged 75 and over and high-risk immunosuppressed individuals as part of its spring booster vaccination programme. The UK's independent Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) had advised a spring booster should be offered to those most vulnerable to COVID-19 as a precautionary measure. The additional top up vaccine dose will be given around six months after the last dose of a COVID vaccine. "Spring boosters will help top up the immunity of the elderly and the most vulnerable to ensure they are protected and will help us continue to live with this virus," UK Health Secretary Sajid Javid said. Around 5 million people will be able to get a fourth dose during the latest NHS booster campaign by contacting over 600,000 people to invite them to book their vaccine. A first booster dose, or third vaccine, is currently available for everyone aged 16 and over, and at-risk children aged 12 to 15 and until now only people with severely weakened immune systems had been eligible for a fourth dose, which has now been expanded to the most vulnerable categories. "Sadly, we are still seeing large numbers of people seriously unwell in hospital with COVID so it remains vital that those most at risk come forward when they are invited to do so," said Dr Nikki Kanani from the NHS COVID Vaccination Programme. "The response so far from the public to the largest and most successful vaccination programme in NHS history has been incredible, with more than nine in 10 people aged 75 and over getting their initial booster. The NHS Covid vaccination programme is once again ready to get people protected, so when you are invited please do come forward for your spring dose," she said. The NHS quoted recent research from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) to show that its booster programme has helped prevent around 157,000 hospitalisations since mid-December 2021. However, NHS hospitals have treated more than 100,000 patients with COVID since the start of the Omicron wave. "We are absolutely determined to protect those most vulnerable to COVID. Please take up the offer of a spring booster as soon as you are contacted by the NHS – it will protect you and ensure we can continue to enjoy our freedoms," said UK Vaccines Minister Maggie Throup. According to official figures, the NHS has delivered over 117 million vaccinations, including over 32 million boosters across England. Local NHS teams will be contacting care homes in their patch to arrange for spring boosters for people who are eligible. Hundreds of sites including community pharmacies, vaccination centres and hospital hubs will also be rolling out the fourth doses. PTI AK SCY SCY

England rolls out fourth COVID vaccine dose for over-75s

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Booster shots appear to be at least 90% effective against hospitalization for <keyword id="11894307" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="delta" source="Orion">Delta</keyword> and Omicron.</li><li>But Omicron poses a greater challenge to vaccine protection, according to three new <keyword id="11917544" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="cdc" source="Orion">CDC</keyword> studies.</li></ul>COVID-19 booster shots were effective at preventing hospitalization and death before <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/omicron-common-symptoms-vs-other-variants-charts-2022-1">Omicron</a> started spreading in the US. But protection from a third dose is essential now that Omicron cases are predominate, according to three new studies from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The first CDC study looked at severe cases of COVID-19 among adults in 10 states from August to mid-December 2021, when the Delta variant was dominant, and from mid-December 2021 to January 2022, when Omicron started to take over. During that time, the CDC's Vision Network recorded around 88,000 <keyword id="11916945" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="hospitalizations" source="Orion">hospitalizations</keyword> for COVID-19.Adults who received an mRNA booster saw the highest protection during both the Delta and Omicron periods: Boosters reduced the risk of hospitalization by at least 90%. But two mRNA doses were far less effective at preventing severe Omicron cases than severe Delta ones, the study found.The chart below shows how well vaccines protected against hospitalization during the Omicron and Delta periods.During the Delta period, the effectiveness of a second dose waned slightly after about 26 weeks — from 90% to 81%. A third dose brought that protection back up to 94%.But protection significantly declined during the Omicron period: A second dose was 81% effective against hospitalization after 2-26 weeks, but just 57% effective after 26 weeks. Booster shots increased that protection to 90%. Separately, the study also examined nearly 223,000 COVID-19-related visits to emergency departments or urgent care clinics from August 2021 to January 2022. Overall, booster shots reduced the risk of someone winding up in these settings, but protection was higher before mid-December.During the Delta period, booster shots reduced the risk of a COVID-19-related visit to the emergency department or urgent care clinic by 94% two weeks after they were administered. During the Omicron period, boosters reduced the risk of those visits by 82%. The findings nevertheless "underscore the importance of receiving a third dose" to prevent moderate and severe COVID-19, the researchers wrote. <h2>Boosters protect against Omicron infections and symptoms, two more studies found</h2><div type="image" title="sore throat covid" height="3826" width="5739" msid="89046429" hostid="261"></div>New research also suggests that boosters protect against Omicron infections and symptoms.A second CDC study found that vaccinated people who received an mRNA booster had more protection against a <keyword id="11893194" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="coronavirus" source="Orion">coronavirus</keyword> infection in December 2021, when Omicron was spreading in the US, than people who had received two doses or none at all.However, Omicron's arrival increased the odds that a vaccinated or boosted person would get infected relative to when Delta was dominant.In October and November, unvaccinated people had around 14 times the risk of getting infected compared with people who had received booster doses. By the time Omicron emerged in December, unvaccinated people had just five times the risk of infection relative to people who had been boosted.Like other vaccine doses, boosters didn't offer the same protection for every age group: The shots were more effective at preventing infections and deaths among people ages 50 and up than younger adults, the researchers found.A third CDC study, <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2788485">released Friday</a> in the Journal of the American Medical Association, also found that three mRNA shots were better than two doses at protecting against symptomatic Omicron — though boosters did a better job of warding off Delta symptoms.

One chart shows how well vaccines and boosters protect against severe Omicron compared to Delta

<ul class="summary-list"><li>A top WHO official on Monday said not to pursue <keyword id="8763838" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="covid-19">COVID-19</keyword> <keyword id="24209" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="vaccine">vaccine</keyword> boosters, citing lack of evidence.</li><li>Some countries with advanced vaccine programs are considering a third-dose strategy. </li><li>At the same time, billions of people have been unable to access a first dose.</li></ul>World Health Organization officials on Monday said the world would look back "in shame" at countries pursuing booster doses for COVID-19 vaccines while other nations were still unable to shield their most vulnerable."The priority now must be to vaccinate those who have received no doses and protection," Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO's director-general, said at a press briefing.He said richer nations were ordering millions of booster doses before other countries had been able to vaccinate their health workers and most vulnerable.That is in spite of there being "no scientific evidence" that booster doses are needed at this time, according to Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, WHO's chief scientist."It may well be that you need boosters after one year or two years, but at this point after six months after the primary dose, there doesn't seem to be any indication," she said.Recommendations to move forward with a booster dose have "to be based on <keyword id="41551" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="100" keywordseo="science">science</keyword> and data, not on individual companies declaring that their vaccines should now be administered as a booster dose," she said.Swaminathan's remarks came as Pfizer worked to gain <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/fda-cdc-coronavirus-booster-shots-not-necessary-pfizer-seeks-authorization-2021-7">the OK for a booster shot of its vaccine in the US</a>.The US, however, is a "long way" from making a decision on booster shots, <a href="https://www.statnews.com/2021/07/12/when-and-how-will-we-know-covid-19-booster-shots/">said Dr. Anthony Fauci, the White House chief medical advisor, after a meeting with Pfizer</a>.Four countries have announced a booster program, and a few more are considering moving forward with boosters, Swaminathan said.This includes Israel, which on Monday started <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jul/11/israel-offers-covid-vaccine-booster-shots-to-at-risk-adults">administering booster doses to immunocompromised people</a>. The UK has also said it is <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/most-vulnerable-could-be-offered-booster-covid-19-vaccines-from-september">considering using booster doses in the fall</a>.Both nations have had swift and successful rollouts, making them among the best-protected nations in the world. They were able to pay high rates and leverage relationships with suppliers that smaller nations cannot.Billions of people still have yet to be vaccinated. <a href="https://ourworldindata.org/covid-vaccinations">According to Our World in Data,</a> only 1% of people in low-income countries have been given even a single dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. Some countries such as Papua New Guinea, Congo, and Chad have vaccinated less than 0.1% of their populations, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/world/covid-vaccinations-tracker.html">per figures compiled by The New York Times</a>.Singling out Moderna and Pfizer, Tedros said manufacturers should channel their limited supplies into vaccine-sharing programs like <keyword id="9549281" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="covax">COVAX</keyword>, rather than prioritizing supply for boosters.Dr. Michael Ryan, the WHO emergencies chief, said the world would look back "in anger" and "in shame" if the limited supply went to booster doses.Tedros called out the "greed" driving the disparity in vaccine supply."We're in the midst of a growing two-track pandemic where the haves and have-nots within and between countries are increasingly divergent," he said.

WHO warns countries not to hoard vaccines for 3rd doses while poor countries don't have any

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Side effects from COVID-19 <keyword id="11946931" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="booster" source="Orion">booster</keyword> shots <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/pfizer-covid-booster-shot-side-effects-most-common-2021-9">generally resemble those</a> after a second dose.</li><li>Fatigue, headaches, and muscle aches are common after both.</li><li>But two shots of <keyword id="11911199" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="jj" source="Orion">J&amp;J</keyword>'s <keyword id="11894310" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="vaccine" source="Orion">vaccine</keyword> yield fewer side effects than three shots of <keyword id="11897118" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="pfizer" source="Orion">Pfizer</keyword> or <keyword id="11901412" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="moderna" source="Orion">Moderna</keyword>.</li></ul>Second and third doses of COVID-19 vaccines <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/pfizer-covid-booster-shot-side-effects-most-common-2021-9">generally produce similar side effects</a> but there are some slight differences.In September, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) gave <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/70/wr/mm7039e4.htm?s_cid=mm7039e4_w">the first comparison</a> between booster shots of all three vaccines available in the US: Pfizer and Moderna (both mRNA shots), and Johnson &amp; Johnson (an adenovirus vaccine).It's one of the most comprehensive looks at how people are responding to boosters to date.Broadly, the CDC found that people who'd received three doses of either Pfizer or Moderna saw more local reactions — pain, itchiness, redness, or swelling at the injection site — after dose three compared to dose two. Other side effects such as fatigue, muscle aches, or headaches were less common, affecting 74% after their third dose, compared with 77% after dose two.A second dose of J&amp;J's vaccine yielded the fewest side effects of all: Only 10% of J&amp;J booster recipients said their side effects prevented them from performing normal daily activities — usually on the day after their booster shot — while the rest said they were able to go about their day as normal.By comparison, 28% of Pfizer or Moderna booster recipients said the shots hindered their daily routine. However, the study included far more data on mRNA boosters — 12,000 people, compared to 48 who received two J&amp;J doses.The following table shows how booster shots affected people who got three doses of Moderna, three doses of Pfizer, or two doses of Johnson &amp; Johnson's vaccine, according to CDC data.Aside from local reactions at the injection site, fatigue was most common among people who received a Pfizer or Moderna booster.Overall side effects were more prevalent after Moderna's third dose: Half of Moderna booster recipients reported muscle aches and headaches, and around 60% reported fatigue.Meanwhile, less than 40% of Pfizer booster recipients reported muscle aches and headaches and around 50% reported fatigue.Just one-quarter of those who received a J&amp;J booster had injection site reactions, compared with 70% who got a Pfizer booster and 80% who got a Moderna booster. And 20% of J&amp;J booster recipients reported muscle aches and headaches.<h2>The CDC recommends boosters for all adults and allows you to mix and match</h2>The CDC now recommends booster shots for all Americans ages 16 and older. People who received two doses of Pfizer's or Moderna's vaccine should get boosted at least six months after their second shot, the CDC advises, whereas J&amp;J recipients can get boosted as early as two months after their first dose.The CDC has also approved a "mix and match" approach so people can select a booster of a different vaccine type or different manufacturer than their original dose.An <a href="https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.10.10.21264827v2">October study</a> funded by the US National Institutes of Health (which has yet to be peer-reviewed) found that mix and match boosters yielded similar side effects to initial vaccine doses. More than half of the study's 458 participants reported malaise, headaches, and muscle aches after their booster while more than 70% experienced mild arm pain. A <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(21)02717-3/fulltext#sec1">UK study</a> similarly identified fatigue, headaches, and pain at the injection site as the most common side effects. The study looked at nearly 2,900 people who had received two doses of Pfizer or AstraZeneca, followed by one of seven different COVID-19 boosters. Overall, side effects from boosters were more common in people ages 30 to 69 than those ages 70 and up, the study found — regardless of which vaccines the participants received.<h2>Fatigue, headaches, and muscles aches were also common after first and second doses</h2>The mRNA vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna instruct the body to produce a harmless viral protein, then develop antibodies against it. The first dose of these vaccines generally <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/most-common-side-effects-of-coronavirus-vaccines-2021-4">produces the mildest side effects</a>, since our bodies are being introduced to the instructions and the resulting protein for the first time.By the time we receive a second and third dose, our bodies have learned to recognize that protein quickly, so are ready to attack it. That's why side effects are generally more pronounced. (If you've had COVID-19 before, though, your first dose may yield more intense side effects than your second or third, according to <a href="https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.01.29.21250653v1">one preprint</a>.) The following chart shows <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/covid-vaccine-side-effects-dose-pfizer-moderna-johnson-johnson-2021-4">common vaccine side effects</a> based on your age group, vaccine manufacturer, and which dose you received. Data is from each vaccine's clinical trial.As with a booster shot, fatigue, headaches, and muscles aches were common after doses one and two.In general, older people experience fewer side effects than younger adults because immune responses gradually weaken with age. That's also the reason why older people are in particular need of boosters: While vaccines still protect against severe disease for now, the Omicron variant seems to <a href="https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.11.11.21266068v2.full.pdf">increase the risk of reinfection</a> relative to other coronavirus strains.It's also better than the original virus at evading antibodies from two vaccine doses, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/omicron-resist-pfizer-vaccine-lab-data-2021-12">early lab studies suggest</a>.

One chart shows the most common COVID-19 booster side effects from Pfizer, Moderna, and J&J's vaccines

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The US is testing whether mix-and-match <keyword id="130200" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="booster">booster</keyword> vaccines for COVID-19 work and are safe.</li><li>An NIAID-backed trial will test giving a dose of <keyword id="4912868" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="moderna">Moderna</keyword>'s COVID-19 shot to fully vaccinated people.</li><li>The people may have previously received vaccines from Moderna, <keyword id="44612" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Pfizer">Pfizer</keyword>, or <keyword id="92247" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Johnson-Johnson">Johnson &amp; Johnson</keyword>.</li></ul>US scientists could soon work out whether it's a good idea to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/modernas-booster-vaccine-works-to-fight-coronavirus-variants-data-2021-5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">mix vaccines</a> to boost the body's immune response to the <keyword id="1754604" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="coronavirus">coronavirus</keyword>.The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases <a href="https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/nih-clinical-trial-evaluating-mixed-covid-19-vaccine-schedules-begins" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said on Tuesday</a> that a trial would give fully vaccinated Americans a booster dose of <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/modernas-booster-vaccine-works-to-fight-coronavirus-variants-data-2021-5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine</a> to see whether it works and is safe.Participants will have had any of the three COVID-19 vaccines available in the US, from Pfizer and BioNTech, Moderna, or Johnson &amp; Johnson, the institute, which is funding the research, said.About 150 volunteers would take part, it said. They'd be split in three according to which vaccine they'd received, then each group would be split again into two age categories, 18- to 55-year-olds and people 56 and older.A final group of people who haven't been vaccinated yet would receive three doses of Moderna's vaccine during the trial, it said.The first-of-its-kind trial is designed in a way that other vaccines could later be added to the mix, the institute said.The results, expected later this year, "are intended to inform public health policy decisions on the potential use of mixed vaccine schedules should booster doses be indicated," Dr. Anthony <keyword id="3540587" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="fauci">Fauci</keyword>, the institute's director and President Joe Biden's chief medical advisor, said in the press release.The US needs to "prepare for the possibility of needing booster shots to counter waning immunity and to keep pace with an evolving virus," Fauci said.<h2>Moderna has reported early results from trials of COVID-19 vaccine booster shots</h2>It wasn't clear from the press release why Moderna's vaccine was chosen to be the booster dose, but Moderna is furthest along in booster-shot trials.Both Pfizer and AstraZeneca are working on booster shots but haven't formally reported on their trial results.Moderna <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/modernas-booster-vaccine-works-to-fight-coronavirus-variants-data-2021-5">said at the start of May</a> that early trial results indicated that a third dose of its vaccine boosted antibodies, part of the immune response, in participants. The trial included a vaccine that had been tweaked to tackle the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/coronavirus-variants-uk-south-africa-brazil-us-facts-questions-2021-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">variant first found in South Africa</a>. Moderna said all its booster vaccines were generally well tolerated, with <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/covid-19-boosters-wont-cause-worse-side-effects-than-original-vaccine-2021-5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">similar side effects as after a second dose of the vaccine</a>.Moderna CEO Stéphane Bancel <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/americans-might-get-booster-shoot-for-moderna-vaccines-this-year-2021-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said in April</a> that he hoped to provide booster shots to the US later this year.

The US launches a one-of-a-kind trial to tell us whether mixing vaccine booster shots is a good idea

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The FDA has expanded the emergency authorizations for leading COVID-19 vaccines. </li><li>That paves the way for patients with weakened immune systems to start receiving booster shots.</li><li>It remains unclear when, or if, extra doses would be rolled out to everyone in the US.</li></ul>The US Food and Drug Administration on Thursday took a key step toward allowing some of the most vulnerable Americans to receive booster shots - or a third dose - of <keyword id="1754604" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="coronavirus">coronavirus</keyword> vaccines.The FDA tweaked the language in its emergency authorizations for the Pfizer-BioNTech and <keyword id="4912868" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="moderna">Moderna</keyword> COVID-19 vaccines to allow doctors to consider giving additional doses for people with weakened immune systems. Previously the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna shots were intended to be given as two doses several weeks apart, while J&amp;J's shot was given as a single dose.In recent weeks, US <keyword id="6354750" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="health">health</keyword> officials and doctors have highlighted the need to start offering booster shots to certain groups of people with weakened immune systems, such as people who have received organ transplants. Giving an additional vaccine dose could help boost those people's protection against COVID-19.Other countries, including Germany, France, and the UK, have already firmed up plans to soon start rolling out booster shots to their most vulnerable populations. Israel <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israel-offers-pfizer-covid-19-vaccine-booster-shots-adults-risk-2021-07-11/">started offering extra shots</a> to people with impaired immune systems in July.<h2>CDC expected to urge immunocompromised to talk to their doctors about a booster dose</h2><div type="image" title="A hand holding a CDC card that reads &quot;COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card&quot;" height="1989" width="3978" msid="85292833" hostid="261"></div>Offering shots to some people with weakened immune systems is likely the first step in a broader booster-shot campaign.About 2.7% of adults in the US, or 7 million people, have severely weakened immune systems, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It's not clear whether the CDC will recommend that all immunocompromised people receive booster shots.Diseases like HIV can weaken the immune system, as can certain cancer treatments and some drugs given to people who have received organ transplants or to treat conditions like arthritis.Several research studies have shown that immunocompromised people <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/covid-vaccines-less-effective-immunocompromised-cdc-document-2021-7">mount far less of a response to the COVID-19 vaccines</a> than the population at large. Some small studies suggest an extra dose boosted antibodies <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2021/07/23/covid-booster-shots-immunocompromised-people/8061006002/">in about one-third to half of immunocompromised patients</a>.Dr. Camille Kotton, an infectious-disease and transplant specialist at the Massachusetts General Hospital, said at a CDC meeting in July that many patients "have taken matters into their own hands and are proceeding with additional doses as they see fit."Kotton sits on an independent advisory committee to the CDC, which issues recommendations on how to use vaccines.That committee has discussed the topic of booster shots for immunocompromised people, but its members have said they needed to wait for the FDA to update the authorizations for the vaccines before recommending any booster shots.Kotton said the regulatory situation limited doctors from recommending booster shots. That CDC advisory group is set to meet on Friday to further discuss booster doses. While a formal vote is not on the agenda, the advisory group is expected to urge immunocompromised people to talk with their doctors or pharmacists about getting an additional shot, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2021/08/06/booster-shots-immunocompromised-fda/">The Washington Post reported</a>. <h2>FDA's actions do not mean booster shots for everyone</h2>While the vaccine makers <keyword id="44612" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Pfizer">Pfizer</keyword> and Moderna have argued that everyone should get a third shot of their vaccines after six to 12 months, US regulators and public-health officials are, so far, unconvinced. The drug companies have <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/pfizer-makes-case-for-booster-dose-of-covid-19-vaccine-2021-7">cited data showing modest declines in real-world protection against the virus</a>, particularly with the rise of the Delta variant. They've coupled that with lab studies showing large drops in virus-fighting antibody levels, which they say support the case that protection wanes after at least six months. <div type="image" title="A headshot of Moderna President Dr. Stephen Hoge" height="634" width="845" msid="85292836" hostid="261"></div>"We believe a booster dose is likely to be necessary this fall," Moderna President Stephen Hoge <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/moderna-need-covid-19-booster-shots-by-winter-protection-wanes-2021-8">said on August 5</a>.Vaccine experts like Dr. Paul Offit, who sits on the FDA's vaccine-advisory committee, have said that booster doses wouldn't be needed unless fully vaccinated people started to get seriously ill from COVID-19.The FDA is working on a more comprehensive plan for boosters, and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wsj.com%2Farticles%2Ffda-covid-19-vaccine-booster-plan-could-be-ready-within-weeks-11628194767">The Wall Street Journal reported</a> that work won't be completed until early September.

The FDA will allow COVID-19 booster shots for some people with weakened immune systems

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="11901412" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="moderna" source="Orion">Moderna</keyword> said people vaccinated in 2020 caught COVID-19 more often than those vaccinated this year.</li><li>This suggested immunity from its COVID-19 shot waned over time, and provided evidence for a <keyword id="11946931" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="booster" source="Orion">booster</keyword> dose, it said.</li><li>But the number of people that got severe COVID-19 wasn't significantly different between the groups.</li></ul><ul class="summary-list"></ul>Moderna said new data from its <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-to-know-about-modernas-effective-coronavirus-vaccine-2020-11?r=US&amp;IR=TIR=T" target="_blank" rel="noopener">late-stage clinical trial</a> provided proof of waning immunity from its COVID-19 <keyword id="11894310" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="vaccine" source="Orion">vaccine</keyword> and a need for a booster dose - but its shot still appears to protect against severe illness.People who got its vaccine more recently, between December 2020 and March 2021, reported 36% fewer "breakthrough" COVID-19 infections, compared with those vaccinated during its initial trial between July and October 2020, the company said <a href="https://investors.modernatx.com/news-releases/news-release-details/moderna-highlights-new-clinical-data-its-covid-19-vaccine" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wednesday</a>, citing an unpublished company analysis.There were 88 breakthrough cases in the more recently vaccinated group of 14,746 people, and 162 COVID-19 cases in the 11,431 trial participants, eight to 12 months after the second dose, the company said. Moderna said the findings show evidence of waning immunity from its vaccine, and a "potential benefit" for a booster.Stephen Hoge, president at Moderna, said on a conference call with investors that "the first six months are great, but you can't count on that being stable out to a year and beyond," <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/moderna-says-covid-19-vaccine-protection-wanes-makes-case-booster-2021-09-15/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">as reported by Reuters</a>.He said that "the estimated impact of waning immunity would be 600,000 additional cases of COVID-19" across the US population of 66 million. "We would expect some of those cases to be severe and some could unfortunately result in death," he said.But the data also suggested its shot protected against severe COVID-19 long-term. There were only 19 "severe" breakthrough infections overall, and no "significant difference" between the two groups of people, it said. The company didn't define what it meant by "severe" COVID-19, but usually this means illness that kills or requires hospital treatment.<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/covid-vaccine-breakthrough-infection-delta-variant-fully-vaccinated-las-vegas-2021-7?r=US&amp;IR=TIR=T" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mild breakthrough infections</a> are expected with any vaccine because no vaccine is 100% effective.Moderna's announcement comes as the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/fda-pfizer-covid-19-booster-shot-data-panel-review-2021-9?r=US&amp;IR=TIR=T" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Food and Drug Administration</a> (FDA) is soon to decide whether to give an extra dose of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine to fully-vaccinated Americans to shore up immunity against the highly infectious Delta variant, which can evade the immune response.The FDA is expected to decide on a potential Moderna booster soon after. But some <keyword id="11897506" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="healthcare" source="Orion">healthcare</keyword> experts, including Ellie Murray, an epidemiologist at Boston University, have <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/israel-study-covid-19-booster-vaccine-lowers-risk-severe-illness-2021-9?r=US&amp;IR=TIR=T" target="_blank" rel="noopener">concerns</a> around the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/covid-19-booster-shots-lack-evidence-18-leading-experts-say-2021-9?r=US&amp;IR=TIR=T" target="_blank" rel="noopener">quality of data</a> informing the FDA decision: We don't really know how long booster protection lasts, or when best to give a booster. The <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/list-country-vaccine-rate-below-world-health-organization-target-september-2021-9?r=US&amp;IR=TIR=T" target="_blank" rel="noopener">World Health Organization</a> argues that we should prioritize people worldwide who haven't had a first dose before giving boosters to fully vaccinated people.The Biden administration hopes that fully vaccinated Americans can get a booster dose at six months after their second dose, from September 20. Immunocompromised<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/fda-ramp-up-authorize-covid-19-vaccine-booster-shots-immunocompromised-2021-8?r=US&amp;IR=TIR=T" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> people</a> in the US can already get an extra shot.<h2>Moderna vaccine's protection against severe disease</h2>Moderna's shot has <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/pfizer-lower-dose-moderna-covid-19-vaccine-fewer-side-effects-2021-9?r=US&amp;IR=TIR=T">performed better than Pfizer's in recent lab studies</a>. Some experts speculated that this could relate to the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/pfizer-lower-dose-moderna-covid-19-vaccine-fewer-side-effects-2021-9?r=US&amp;IR=TIR=T" target="_blank" rel="noopener">higher dose</a> of the active ingredient, mRNA, in Moderna's shot, or the longer time intervals between doses - Moderna's vaccine is given four weeks apart, and Pfizer's three weeks.Moderna's booster shot is half the dose of the original vaccine.A real-world Qatari <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/delta-variant-covid-vaccine-effectiveness-protection-pfizer-moderna-astrazeneca-2021-7?r=US&amp;IR=TIR=T" target="_blank" rel="noopener">study</a> found that Moderna's shot was 84.5% effective against any infection from 14 days after the second dose, including asymptomatic illness. Pfizer's was 53.5% effective, the study found. External factors could influence the results, including that Pfizer's vaccine has typically been given to older people, who tend to produce weaker immune responses.

Moderna says a study showed falling COVID-19 immunity over time and a need for boosters - even though most 'breakthrough' infections weren't severe

<ul class="summary-list"><li>As booster shots rollout, the definition of fully vaccinated might change, the <keyword id="11917544" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="cdc" source="Orion">CDC</keyword> says.</li><li>Currently, being fully vaccinated in the US means an individual has both doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine or one dose of the J&amp;J vaccine.</li></ul>The definition of fully vaccinated might be subject to change in the future now that <keyword id="11893994" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="covid-19" source="Orion">COVID-19</keyword> booster shots are out, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Friday. "We have not yet changed the definition of 'fully vaccinated.' We will continue to look at this. We may need to update our definition of 'fully vaccinated' in the future," CDC director Rochelle Walensky <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBR3VrhZG5Q" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">told reporters at a news conference</a>.Currently, being fully vaccinated in the United States means that an individual has either both doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine or one dose of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine.With the rollout of booster shots, that definition might change. So far, the <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2021/p1021-covid-booster.html">CDC has recommended that certain groups of people</a> like those who are 65 or older get one. "If you're eligible for a booster, go ahead and get your booster and we will continue to follow," Walensky said during the Friday <keyword id="11893589" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="news" source="Orion">news</keyword> conference.People who are at least 18 years old and either work in high-risk settings or have underlying medical conditions are also eligible to receive a <keyword id="11896085" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="booster-shot" source="Orion">booster shot</keyword> at this time.The Food and Drug Administration earlier this week authorized booster shots <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/fda-oks-moderna-covid-19-vaccine-boosters-2021-10">for both Moderna and Johnson and Johnson's COVID-19 vaccines</a>. Individuals are able to mix and match booster doses with their original COVID-19 vaccination, the FDA <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/fda-plans-to-allow-people-mix-match-covid-booster-shots-2021-10">said</a>.In a Friday press briefing, White House <keyword id="11893194" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="coronavirus" source="Orion">coronavirus</keyword> response coordinator Jeff Zients said the booster shot will be available for more than 120 million Americans "in the coming months.""This includes over 60 million vaccinated with Moderna and J&amp;J, on top of the 60 million vaccinated with Pfizer," he said. Nearly 58% of the total US population is currently fully vaccinated against the coronavirus, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. And about 6% of the total population has received a booster dose, CDC data <a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#vaccinations_vacc-total-admin-rate-total">says</a>.

Individuals who are fully vaccinated now might not be considered so in the future without a COVID-19 booster shot, CDC says

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The FDA authorized booster shots of the <keyword id="11901412" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="moderna" source="Orion">Moderna</keyword> and J&amp;J vaccines on Wednesday.</li><li>The agency also authorized people to get a different <keyword id="11894310" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="vaccine" source="Orion">vaccine</keyword> brand as a booster shot.</li></ul>The Food and Drug Administration <a href="https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/coronavirus-covid-19-update-fda-takes-additional-actions-use-booster-dose-covid-19-vaccines">authorized on Wednesday</a> booster shots for Moderna's and Johnson &amp; Johnson's COVID-19 vaccines.The FDA said that it had authorized booster doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine for patients aged 65 and older as well as younger people at high risk of severe disease.For the J&amp;J vaccine, the FDA authorized a booster dose for anyone who has recieved the vaccine. <h2>A third shot of Moderna for at-risk adults</h2>The FDA's decision comes after <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/moderna-covid-19-booster-shot-timeline-fda-authorization-2021-10">an advisory panel unanimously voted</a> to recommend the Moderna booster shot on October 14, saying that data shows that the booster shot leads to a strong immune response and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/most-common-side-effects-of-moderna-covid-19-booster-shot-2021-10">similar side effects</a> as the first two doses."We remain committed to staying ahead of the virus and following the evolving epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2," Moderna CEO Stéphane Bancel said <a href="https://investors.modernatx.com/news-releases/news-release-details/moderna-announces-fda-advisory-committee-unanimously-votes">in a statement</a> after the committee's vote. "We look forward to making our booster available to people in the U.S. to help protect themselves against this ongoing public <keyword id="11894571" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="health" source="Orion">health</keyword> emergency."The booster shot will be half the strength of the first two Moderna vaccines, and should be given at least six months after the second dose of the vaccine. Moderna is still studying the third booster dose, and the data that it has presented to the FDA is limited.<h2><div type="image" title="Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel" height="3024" width="4032" msid="87172357" hostid="261"></div></h2>The data includes a small sample of 149 volunteers who got the booster shot in a phase 2 trial and had their antibody levels measured and compared to antibody levels after the second dose. The research showed that the antibody levels from the booster shot reached the same level as after the second dose, but not all of the patients saw a 4-fold increase in antibodies, one of the FDA's criteria. "The data itself is not strong," said FDA committee member Dr. Patrick Moore on October 14. Moore, a microbiology and molecular genetics professor at the University of Pittsburgh said he voted to recommend the vaccine anyway based on a "gut feeling."The booster shots appear to be just as safe as the initial two doses of the vaccine, with most people experiencing mild to moderate side effects. This is true even though the booster shot dose is half the strength of the original two doses. Both of the original doses were 100 micrograms, while the third shot is 50 micrograms. The <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/most-common-side-effects-of-moderna-covid-19-booster-shot-2021-10">most common booster shot side effects</a> include pain at the injection site, fatigue, headache, and muscle pain. <div type="image" title="johnson &amp; johnson vaccine" height="1194" width="1592" msid="87172358" hostid="261"></div><h2>A second J&amp;J shot for everyone</h2>The FDA also authorized a second dose of the Johnson &amp; Johnson booster shot for everyone who has gotten that vaccine.Unlike the <keyword id="11976522" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="mrna" source="Orion">mRNA</keyword>-based shots, which are given as two doses, the J&amp;J vaccine was initially authorized as a single-dose shot. Also unlike the mRNA shots, the FDA recommended that all 15 million people in the US who got a J&amp;J shot be eligible for a booster shot, regardless of age or risk of severe disease.People can get a booster shot as soon as two months after their first J&amp;J vaccine dose. J&amp;J <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/jj-covid-19-booster-shot-backed-by-fda-expert-panel-2021-10">submitted data</a> to the FDA from a study that included just 17 volunteers who got a second dose after six months. While that data appeared to meet the FDA's goals for what a booster should do, later on the FDA's review stated the results are limited by the small sample size and were also impacted by a subpar lab test J&amp;J used.J&amp;J also has data from a much larger trial of 16,000 volunteers who got a booster shot after only two months. While this data hasn't been <a href="https://www.insider.com/fda-not-enough-evidence-to-support-jj-booster-vaccine-yet-2021-10">independently verified by FDA scientists</a>, it does show more evidence of the benefit of a booster shot. "We now have generated evidence that a booster shot further increases protection against COVID-19 and is expected to extend the duration of protection significantly," Dr. Paul Stoffels, J&amp;J's chief scientific officer, said in a <a href="https://www.jnj.com/johnson-johnson-announces-real-world-evidence-and-phase-3-data-confirming-strong-and-long-lasting-protection-of-single-shot-covid-19-vaccine-in-the-u-s">September news release</a>. <h2>FDA also endorses mix &amp; match for booster shots</h2>The FDA also authorized a "<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/fda-plans-to-allow-people-mix-match-covid-booster-shots-2021-10">mix-and-match</a>" approach for Americans seeking booster shots, allowing Americans to receive a different brand of COVID-19 vaccine as a booster than the one they initially received. These vaccines are also called "heterologous" booster shots. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/jj-boosters-moderna-pfizer-provide-better-response-new-study-2021-10">Recent results from a new study</a> found that an mRNA booster shot after the J&amp;J shot might lead to a better immune response compared to a second J&amp;J booster.This "mix-and-match" trial enrolled 458 people who had been vaccinated with either Pfizer's, Moderna's, or J&amp;J's vaccine, then offered a boost of one of those three brands. J&amp;J recipients saw a significantly larger jump in virus-fighting antibody levels with a Moderna or Pfizer booster compared to a second J&amp;J shot."What the study shows is that regardless of what an individual received originally, getting boosted with one of the three vaccines that we evaluated, the one from Moderna, the one from Janssen, the one from Pfizer, led to good antibody responses in each of the groups," lead study author Dr. Robert Atmar from Baylor College of Medicine told Insider at the time.

You Searched For "covid booster dose" and got 11 results

Booster shots of COVID-19 vaccine probably won't cause worse side effects than the original vaccines, experts predict

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The FDA's expert panel just unanimously backed Moderna's booster shot for high-risk groups, paving way for the agency's OK

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England rolls out fourth COVID vaccine dose for over-75s

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One chart shows how well vaccines and boosters protect against severe Omicron compared to Delta

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WHO warns countries not to hoard vaccines for 3rd doses while poor countries don't have any

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One chart shows the most common COVID-19 booster side effects from Pfizer, Moderna, and J&J's vaccines

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The US launches a one-of-a-kind trial to tell us whether mixing vaccine booster shots is a good idea

Dr. Catherine Schuster-Bruce

The FDA will allow COVID-19 booster shots for some people with weakened immune systems

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Moderna says a study showed falling COVID-19 immunity over time and a need for boosters - even though most 'breakthrough' infections weren't severe

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Individuals who are fully vaccinated now might not be considered so in the future without a COVID-19 booster shot, CDC says

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The FDA just authorized booster shots of Moderna's and Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccines and is letting users mix and match shots

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