On Wednesday, August 18, the White House COVID response team made the announcement that the booster shots will be released for emergency public use due to the severity of the delta variant. The FDA will be conducting evaluations to determine the safety of having a booster shots of either Moderna or Pfizer in the following months.
“We are prepared to offer booster shots for all Americans beginning the week of September 20 and starting 8 months after an individual’s second dose,” said a member of the response team. “At that time, the individuals who were fully vaccinated earliest in the vaccination rollout, including many healthcare providers, nursing home residents, and other seniors will likely be eligible for the booster.”
The response team went on to inform the public that booster shots will most likely be needed for individuals that decided to receive the J&J vaccine. Although they will need more data to determine a timely plan on when the booster will be available, they assume that it will be released around the same time as the third shot of Moderna and/or Pfizer.
“Our top priority remains staying ahead of the virus and protecting the American people from COVID-19 with safe, effective, and long-lasting vaccines,” they said. “We will continue to ramp up efforts to increase vaccinations here at home and ensure people have accurate information about vaccines for other countries.”