CDC approves Pfizer-BioNTech booster shot

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), a COVID-19 booster shot can protect more than 180 million fully-vaccinated Americans against future COVID-19 outbreaks. 

Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), recommends that civilians 50 years and older who have previously received both shots of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine six months prior receive the booster shot. 

Currently, individuals at high risk for COVID-19 or 65 years and older can receive the Pfizer-BioNTech booster shot six months after their second dose.

Dr. Robin Blount, the chief medical officer at Boone Hospital, said more research should be conducted to determine if the three FDA-approved vaccines, Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson, can be mixed.

“Well at this point, it is not recommended to mix vaccines,” Blount said. “We don’t have enough data on where or not that’s appropriate or would work or would give the extra immunity boost that we’re taking boosters for.”

The CDC has not approved booster shots for the Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccines yet.

Blount said both the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines were approved for distribution less than three months after the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was released and indicated that the booster shots for Moderna and Johnson & Johnson should be available soon to the general public.

With the spread of the delta variant, Bount is encouraging the unvaccinated to get vaccinated.

“In the meantime, the delta variant is still out there and circulating. That makes it critical to maintain vigilance. Wear a mask in indoor spaces, keep a physical distance from others, and remember to wash your hands frequently,” said Dr. Francis Collins, the Director of the NIH. “We are all really tired of COVID-19, but patience is still required as we learn more about how best to stay ahead of this virus.”