How To Mix And Match COVID Booster Shots?

Millions of Americans can now get the COVID vaccine, and the health officials have authorized a mix and match approach. However, they’ve declined to comment further, so it’s a choose-your-own-adventure situation.

Is it okay to stick with what you got for your first dose? What happens if you change it? Keep reading to find out!

Who Is Eligible?

According to the CDC and FDA, you are eligible if you have received Pfizer or Moderna and are 18+ or 65+. You are also suitable if you are in a high-risk setting, have an autoimmune disease, or live in a long-term care setting. You must have received your second dose at least six months prior.

You can get a booster shot two months later if you got the first Johnson & Johnson vaccine and are 18+.

Why Did Health Officials Approve Mix-And-Match Shots?

In simple terms, convenience. If your local pharmacy does not have the same vaccine as your first dose, you don’t have to go looking for a place that does. Experts are well aware that convenience is critical when trying to get people to roll up their sleeves.

New evidence also suggests that mixing-and-matching vaccines can have a slightly stronger antibody response. Here is what the experts say:

What Should I Do If I Got The Johnson & Johnson Vaccine?

The first thing to do is to get a booster shot. While the original shot is still effective, people are at risk of getting severe COVID. Those who are eligible for the booster should get it without hesitation and increase their immunity.

Data collected between March and August 2021 show that the J&J vaccine is 71% effective at hospitalization prevention among most healthy adults. However, Moderna and Pfizer vaccines are 93% and 88% effective, respectively.

Experts recommended people get an mRNA booster vaccine. Research showed that people who got the J&J vaccine with an mRNA vaccine had higher antibody levels than when they got another Johnson & Johnson shot. Getting a combined shot shocks the immune system into responding robustly.

William Schaffner, an infectious disease specialist with Vanderbilt University Medical Center, said that “I think my colleagues and I would be harmonizing on the same song here: mainly, that you get bigger antibody responses if you get a boost with an mRNA vaccine, either Pfizer or Moderna. If individuals asked me, I would say, ‘Go get yourself a Pfizer or Moderna.’”

However, you can also stick with the J&J vaccine as the booster dose provides 94% protection against moderate to severe COVID and shows to increase antibody levels four-six times. Health officials raised some questions about the strength of that data. Still, they ultimately gave the Johnson & Johnson booster the green light.

Antibodies are only a part of what the vaccine affects. They also affect T-cells that are instrumental in helping us fight infections that are harder to catch and measure.

When Can I Get It?: At least two months after your shot.

What Should I Do If I Got One Of The mRNA Vaccines?

You can get any of the three vaccines, but your best shot is to get an mRNA vaccine. There is evidence suggesting that Moderna produces a more robust immune response and lasts longer. Reports also state that people who get a Moderna vaccine and a Moderna booster have the best immunity. However, this evidence is relatively new.

It’s vital to remember that the Moderna booster (50 mcg) is smaller than the initial vaccine (100 mcg). Colleen Kelley, an associate division of infectious diseases professor with Emory University School of Medicine, explained, “There are some data out there that suggest the Moderna vaccine does produce higher levels of antibody when compared head to head with the Pfizer vaccine. But all of those data are with that 100-microgram dose.”

In the end, it’s your choice. Some people might prefer to change it up and try a different mRNA vaccine than their initial dose, while others stick to what they know. Both approaches are reasonable and work. There is no conclusive evidence that getting a different vaccine will achieve any noticeable benefit other than that they’re both exceptional vaccines.

When Can I Get It?: At least six months after your second shot.

Have More Questions Or Are Unsure What To Do?

Different vaccines come with various risks as well. Inessa Gendlina, director of infectious diseases at Montefiore Health System, said, “We know the J&J vaccine has a risk of thrombosis with thrombocytopenia (TTS), so for younger women, we’d probably counsel them about that particular risk. For people who had an allergic reaction with the mRNA vaccine, they might be someone who could try a J&J vaccine.”

People could also develop myocarditis after the two mRNA vaccines, particularly in young men. However, these risks are rare. If you’re still puzzled about what booster shot to get, your doctors might consider these factors.

The data with Covid is ever-changing. Health officials discouraged people from mixing vaccines before the recent data emerged, which might baffle people further. But this isn’t because scientists couldn’t make up their minds but because new data can change perspectives and advice.

William Schaffner further added that “We’re learning more as we go along. In the beginning, these were brand new vaccines, and we wanted to give these vaccines exactly by the book because we didn’t have data. Now we’ve accumulated data that mixing and matching not only is safe but might actually give you more of a boost.”

As you decide what to get, remember that all the COVID vaccines work effectively to improve your immune system and prevent hospitalization. Getting an extra dose will only help you avoid diseases as we move towards winter.

If you’re still unsure of what to do, talk to your GP. They can offer you specific help keeping your health background in mind.