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RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) – The FDA and an CDC advisory committee have cleared the way for mixing and matching when it comes to COVID-19 booster shots. A report from the National Institute of Health found there may be advantages to getting a booster different from your original shot.

The CDC’s advisory committee said in general, people should use the same vaccine for their primary series and booster. used for your original regimen should be used for the booster. So which booster should you get? The NIH’s report listed it’s finding for nine combinations of boosters. Here’s what they found.

For those with a primary series of the Johnson and Johnson, protective antibodies increased by:

  • 76 times when boosted with Moderna
  • 4 times when boosted with Johnson and Johnson
  • 35 times when boosted with Pfizer

For those with a primary series of the Moderna, protective antibodies increased by:

  • 10 times when boosted with Moderna
  • 6 times when boosted with Johnson and Johnson
  • 11 times when boosted with Pfizer

For those with a primary series of the Pfizer, protective antibodies increased by:

  • 31 times when boosted with Moderna
  • 12 times when boosted with Johnson and Johnson
  • 20 times when boosted with Pfizer

Choosing a booster should not necessarily depend on the level of antibodies built. Each vaccine has different characteristics.

“It really depends on your own individual preference and consulting with your physician for where you fall in, for example, your age or your gender, whether or not your a man or a woman,” said Dr. Anthony Fauci, chief medical advisor to President, to CBS This Morning.

Rare cases of myocarditis and pericarditis have been diagnosedd, specifically in young men, after the second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines. Meanwhile, rare cases of blood clots with low platelets, known as thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome, have been found after a Johnson and Johnson vaccination in women. While very rare, Fauci said they were side effects people should consider.

People unsure about which vaccine to boost with should speak with their healthcare provider. You can also call the NC COVID-19 Vaccine Help Center at 888-675-4567.