Experts recommend against mixing and matching Covid boosters (VIDEO)

• Experts recommend getting the same Covid vaccine for boosters.
• People can choose which vaccine they want for their booster.

People in the United States eligible for a booster dose of the Covid-19 vaccine have the flexibility to choose between any of those approved by the FDA, although an expert from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends sticking with the same one that was initially administered.

«It is possible to choose the vaccine you want, but it is recommended to get the same vaccine,» Carmen Sofía Arriola, an epidemiologist at the CDC, based in Atlanta, told EFE. Arriola pointed out that the three vaccines that are available in the United States — Moderna, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) — «are safe and effective and therefore there is no problem in choosing any of them.»

New guidelines for vaccination

«It is important to consult with your doctor before making a decision if you have any question regarding which is the best for each person,» said the specialist, explaining that the guideline change was implemented after analyzing the existing data and after a unanimous vote from a CDC expert panel.

The director of the CDC, Rochelle Walensky, announced the new guidelines regarding combining the Covid-19 vaccine boosters. Walensky said that some people may have a preference for the type of vaccine they originally received and others may prefer to receive a different booster.

Who qualifies?

For those who have received the Moderna or Pfizer vaccines, the CDC recommends the booster six months after the second dose for those over 65, adults over 18 who live or work in high risk environments, and for those with chronic or immunosuppressive diseases, Arriola said.

In addition, essential workers, such as health workers and teachers, as well as the homeless and people who are in shelters and prisons, have been included. In the case of Johnson & Johnson, the recommendation is that the booster should be given to everyone over 18, two months after the initial dose, she said.

Life-saving vaccine

Regarding the possibility of getting vaccinated every year, as is the case with flu shots, Arriola said that studies are still needed to determine if this could be an option. Faced with a possible new wave of Covid in the winter, Arriola considers it impossible to predict what will happen in the coming months with the virus, so she highlighted the importance of getting vaccinated.

“The vaccine saves lives and protects us, not only ourselves but also those around us. We must bear in mind that we may get the flu or we may be asymptomatic, but we can be transmission vectors for other people who are more vulnerable,» she said.

Encouraging data

As for achieving so-called herd immunity, the epidemiologist opined that currently the vaccination rates in the country are not optimal to reach that point.

To date, 189 million residents over 12 years of age have been fully immunized against Covid-19, which is equivalent to 66.8% of the population, according to data from the CDC.

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