Should You Get a Booster Dose for Your Health? Here’s What You Need to Know If You Have Johnson & Johnson Vaccine
[UPDATE] Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Shot Authorized for Emergency Use by U.S. FDA https://www.jnj.com/johnson-johnson-covid-19-vaccine-booster-shot-authorized-for-emergency-use-by-u-s-fda
A hospital in California has begun offering an mRNA vaccination to those who have had a single Johnson & Johnson dose, raising the question of whether a booster shot is needed for good health. Although the hospital is calling the dose a supplemental dose rather than a booster dose, people with the Johnson & Johnson vaccination are questioning whether their single dose was enough.
Do People with the Johnson & Johnson Vaccine Need a Booster?
After a large global study, the Johnson & Johnson vaccine has been shown to provide 94% protection against moderate and severe Covid in the U.S, but that number drops to 75% when you include all countries in the study. It’s also only 71% effective against hospitalization from Covid in the U.S., compared to 88% for Pfizer and 93% for Moderna.
Ultimately, the FDA has recommended that adults over 18 who got the Johnson & Johnson vaccine should get the Johnson & Johnson booster. Booster shots should be administered no sooner than two months after the original dose.
Should Others Get a Get Booster Dose?
There is rising public demand for booster doses as new variants bring on new health concerns. Some experts believe that until we have more data, no one should get a booster dose since the original vaccination provides protection from most serious illnesses caused by Covid-19.
Other experts note that immunosuppressed people will likely be the first in line for booster doses. These are people who are on medications that suppress their immune system, have transplants, or have other health conditions. For these folks, there is some data that may suggest that the vaccine isn’t providing the same protection as it is for others. If this holds true, a booster could provide added protection. People with chronic medical conditions who are older may also benefit from the booster dose.
The FDA has already authorized additional doses, though not considered booster doses, for those who are immunocompromised. Since they didn’t generate a robust immune response with the initial dose, the third dose is more of a supplemental dose.
Is a Booster or Supplemental Dose Safe?
Multiple studies had been done or are in the works to determine the effects of getting a booster dose of the Covid vaccine. In one study from spring, mixing the Pfizer vaccine with the AstraZeneca vaccine caused higher rates of side effects, in comparison to receiving multiple doses of the same vaccine.
In another, ongoing clinical trial, the effects of mixing booster doses from different manufacturers are being studied. In the study, fully vaccinated participants receive a booster dose from a different manufacturer than that which provided their original. This includes giving people with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine an mRNA booster, as well as a Johnson & Johnson booster to those with mRNA vaccines.
At this point in the study, there’s been no correlation to negative side effects, apart from those in the initial vaccine regimen, with any combination of different vaccines. Although there are still studies underway, it appears that a booster shot may be beneficial for the overall health of many.
Resources:
https://www.yalemedicine.org/news/johnson-and-johnson-covid-booster
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/booster-shot.html
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