PROVIDENCE, R.I (WPRI) — Pending approval from the CDC director, Moderna and Johnson and Johnson booster shots could be available for millions of Americans as soon as Friday.
Following the announcement made by the FDA on Wednesday approving additional doses of the two vaccines, a CDC panel will review the information Thursday and is expected to provide specifics on who should get boosters and when.
The FDA’s authorization currently covers Moderna recipients who are 65 and older, or at high risk because of their living situation, job, or underlying health conditions. The booster would be about half the dose of the original two shots.
Any J&J recipient who is 18 years or older is eligible for a shot. The FDA also says vaccine recipients can use any brand as a booster.
A majority of the 190 million vaccinated Americans received the Pfizer or Moderna options, while 15 million have received J&J.