US expected to authorise mix-and-match COVID booster shots

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal regulators are expected to authorise the mixing and matching of COVID-19 booster shots this week in an effort to provide flexibility for those seeking to maintain protection against the coronavirus.

The upcoming announcement by the Food and Drug Administration is likely to come along with authorisation for boosters of the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson shots and follows the authorisation of a third dose for the Pfizer vaccine for many Americans last month.

The move was previewed Tuesday by a U.S. health official familiar with the matter who was not authorised to speak publicly ahead of the announcement.

The FDA was expected to say that, especially for the mRNA vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna that have proved most effective against the virus, maintaining consistency in the vaccine course was still preferable.

The agency was still finalising guidance for the single-shot J&J vaccine.

Allowing mixing and matching could alleviate supply issues, make the task of getting a booster simpler for Americans and allow people who may have had adverse reactions to the initial dose to try a different shot. 

The move will come after the U.S. said it would recognise mixing and matching of vaccines administered overseas, as was common in Canada and some European countries in the early months of the vaccination campaign, for the purposes of entering the U.S.

We want to hear from you! Email us at star@gleanerjm.com and follow @thejamaicastar on Instagram and on twitter @JamaicaStar, and on Facebook: @TheJamaicaStar.