Second Booster Shots Authorized for Adults 50 and Older

CNN | By Brenda Goodman

The US Food and Drug Administration has expanded the emergency use authorization of the Pfizer and Moderna Covid-19 vaccines to allow adults 50 and older to get a second booster as early as four months after their first booster dose of any Covid-19 vaccine.

The move extends the availability of additional boosters to healthy older adults. The FDA had previously allowed additional shots for anyone 12 or older who was severely immune-deficient. This group of people can now receive a three-dose primary series and two boosters for a total of five doses.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention followed suit, saying it is updating its vaccine pages to reflect the FDA's expanded eligibility.

"Current evidence suggests some waning of protection over time against serious outcomes from COVID-19 in older and immunocompromised individuals. Based on an analysis of emerging data, a second booster dose of either the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine could help increase protection levels for these higher-risk individuals," said Dr. Peter Marks, director of the FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, in a news release.

"Additionally, the data show that an initial booster dose is critical in helping to protect all adults from the potentially severe outcomes of COVID-19. So, those who have not received their initial booster dose are strongly encouraged to do so."

The FDA said that in making its decision, it had determined that the known and potential benefits of second boosters outweigh the known and potential risks for these populations.

The CDC also said in its statement that adults who got Johnson & Johnson's vaccine as their primary and first booster shots at least four months prior may now get an additional booster of Pfizer/BioNTech or Moderna's vaccines.

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