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September 13, 2021

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Statement on Booster Immunizations for COVID-19

COVID-19 Resources
On behalf of the TeamHealth Emerging Infectious Disease Taskforce

 

The TeamHealth Emerging Infectious Disease Taskforce (EIDT) continues to strongly recommend that all age-eligible unvaccinated individuals without contraindications to vaccination obtain any available mRNA COVID-19 vaccine under an FDA EUA or the FDA-approved Comirnaty ® (down to age 16) as soon as possible.

Regarding COVID-19 mRNA booster vaccinations, the EIDT supports the decision by the FDA and the CDC in recommending an additional booster vaccine dose of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine for eligible individuals. Booster immunizations, along with continued efforts for primary COVID-19 vaccinations, masking and other public health measures, will be a valuable part of the overall strategy to reduce disruption, illness and death from the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. The guidance as to when and to whom a booster immunization is recommended will evolve over the next several weeks and months as the pandemic continues. This is covered in more detail in the accompanying discussion. Clinicians and others should monitor FDA and CDC for updates on booster vaccines.

It is also very likely that people having received the Janssen (Johnson and Johnson JNJ-78436735 COVID-19) single-dose vaccine will also be recommended to receive a booster vaccination. However the studies to demonstrate the need for a booster with this vaccine are still pending data collection and review. According to the FDA, recommendations on booster vaccinations for the Janssen vaccine will be made as soon as this process is completed.

Sources

  • Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) COVID-19 vaccines include – Moderna mRNA-1273 COVID-19 vaccine, Janssen JNJ-78436735 COVID-19 Vaccine (Johnson and Johnson) single dose to age 19 and older. Although the Pfizer vaccine Comirnaty® is fully approved down to age 16, it is also available (8/30/2021) under the FDA EUA down to age 12.
  • Comirnaty is the new trade name for the FDA approved Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine down to age 16
  • CDC United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
  • Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine – now called Comirnaty® or Moderna mRNA-1273 COVID-19 vaccine