FDA Approves Booster Shot for People with Weakened Immune Systems

[ivinsfan]

As pro vaccine as I am, nothing medical comes with zero risks..if I need a booster at some predetermined time, I'll get one. I'm not getting one without some solid info.

 

[stephenson]

ivins,

Would you have gotten vaccinated prior to the formal announcement of approval for your age group, or place in line, if it there was no issue with doing so - ie no cost increase, with massive amounts of vaccine being available?

Don't want to belabor the point, but I would certainly grab a booster - of any of the successful products - regardless of the delays in the USG or other monitoring groups - and, obviously assuming no dangerous side effects noted from the first two jabs.

 

[ivinsfan]

ivins,

Would you have gotten vaccinated prior to the formal announcement of approval for your age group, or place in line, if it there was no issue with doing so - ie no cost increase, with massive amounts of vaccine being available?

Don't want to belabor the point, but I would certainly grab a booster - of any of the successful products - regardless of the delays in the USG or other monitoring groups - and, obviously assuming no dangerous side effects noted from the first two jabs.

This is not apples to apples...because at this point I'm seeing Moderna itself is not sure of the vaccine booster interval and plans for any booster doses to be half of the original dose. Am I going to second guess Moderna, no I'm not.


Everyone should do as the see fit.

 

[simple girl]

As pro vaccine as I am, nothing medical comes with zero risks..if I need a booster at some predetermined time, I'll get one. I'm not getting one without some solid info.

I feel the same way. I am very pro-vaccine but now that I have reduced my risk of serious illness with my two Moderna vaccines, I will not feel ready to get my booster until firm data shows it is necessary and the CDC recommends it. There are some risks, albeit small, with the vaccines, so I don't want to take those risks unless they are worth it.

 

[Ian S]

I'm 70 and at 8 months since my second Moderna dose. I'd like to see the data for that situation - I suspect it's not that rosy for someone like me who doesn't just want to stay out of the hospital but wants to avoid even a "mild" case that, in reality, can be pretty nasty to experience. I'd be delighted to get ASAP the proposed half dose booster that Moderna is proposing.

 

[stephenson]

As I understand it, a normal Moderna vax contains 3 times the volume of a Pfizer vax.

Does anyone understand if the mRNA material is more dense in the Pfizer, or was this simply the companies' best estimate of the "correct" amount?

Relates to 1/2 Moderna dose being 20ug MORE than a full dose of Pfizer - in volume.

 

[skyking1]

I'm 70 and at 8 months since my second Moderna dose. I'd like to see the data for that situation - I suspect it's not that rosy for someone like me who doesn't just want to stay out of the hospital but wants to avoid even a "mild" case that, in reality, can be pretty nasty to experience. I'd be delighted to get ASAP the proposed half dose booster that Moderna is proposing.

Yes your best case scenario is no case at all!
Darling wife is taking immunosuppressant drugs for rheumatoid arthritis. she's a Pfizer vaccine patient and is waiting for her rheumatologist advice regarding a booster.
of course I had to be different I'm in the Moderna guy in the in the family
I'm no medical expert but I can sure see the reasoning behind waiting and possibly rolling out a booster vaccine or vaccines tailored to the newer variants. More bang for the proverbial buck.

 

[stephenson]

skyking1,

Everyone is different, but a very good friend who is a pediatric immunologist MD and PhD has an immunosuppressive disease and has already received his third Pfizer vax - he was clearly anxious to do so.

 

[stephenson]

Link to Washington Post article - https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2021/10/13/johnson-and-johnson-booster-shot/

"Food and Drug Administration scientists found potential benefit to a second dose of the Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine in a data review that was released Wednesday and that depended heavily on the company’s analysis, suggesting a booster of that shot was perhaps more warranted than additional doses of other coronavirus inoculations."

So, as long as one is not a believer in theories of companies making stuff up for profits, this would seem to be an interesting finding - and, ease the minds of those of you who have access to J&J second shots?

 

[bmcgonig]

Interesting findings from a mix and match study.

Yes. Moderna better booster than the others. Also very large boost in antibodies from any booster.

JnJ should definitely boost with Moderna. Probably Pfizer too. ?

Is a boost necessary? Probably not for severe case outcome. Possibly yes for less than that. Right now no one can correlate antibody titers numbers to actual risk of disease, as far as I know. E.g., above a certain threshold are you fine?

https://twitter.com/x/status/1448335699866836993

 

[bmcgonig]

As pro vaccine as I am, nothing medical comes with zero risks..if I need a booster at some predetermined time, I'll get one. I'm not getting one without some solid info.

How will you know when you’ll need one?

 

[Koolau]

Having friends who received both Moderna vaccines and still got the illness, I'm willing to take the minuscule chance that there could be a side effect if I get a booster - maybe for limited or even NO benefit! Unfortunately, I don't have that choice - without cheating in some fashion which I'm not prepared to do.

 

[Koolau]

I got my Moderna booster yesterday. I'm noticing soreness in my arms (I also got this year's flu shot), but not much beyond that (yet).

How were you able to get a booster since it has not been approved? I asked at CVS and they said "absolutely not" until approved. YMMV

 

[RetiredHappy]

My husband got Moderna and I got Pfizer. He caught COVID at a dinner event which we both attended, 4.5 months after his 2nd shot and 2.5 months after my 2nd shot. We shared food even after he became aymptomatic. I never got it as we continued to test until he recovered. I would not say one vaccine is better than the other.

 

[yakers]

Had our third Moderna shot, DW was tracked down by Kaiser had lung cancer in February 2020 days before lockdown, I went with her and had throat cancer 5 years ago (so officially’ok’) but got Moderna booster on request. Looks like it was available to anyone on request.

 

[Koolau]

Had our third Moderna shot, DW was tracked down by Kaiser had lung cancer in February 2020 days before lockdown, I went with her and had throat cancer 5 years ago (so officially’ok’) but got Moderna booster on request. Looks like it was available to anyone on request.

Hmmmm. Maybe I'll try somewhere else! CVS simply said NOPE!

 

[Chuckanut]

I'm no medical expert but I can sure see the reasoning behind waiting and possibly rolling out a booster vaccine or vaccines tailored to the newer variants. More bang for the proverbial buck.

It would be nice if it was two shots and done for life, but the history of many vaccines is that over time better ones are developed. Polio and Shingles come to mind.

I fully expect I will be getting a 4th Covid vaccine shot sometime before Summer 2023, and this one would be tailored to to defend against the newer variants like Delta and other variants may come down the pipe. And it may even give several years worth of protection. Who knows? Time will tell.

 

[Time2]

Im glad I got Moderna and don't understand Moderna people rushing out to get a full dose booster.



A better question would be, should the P people go out a get a full dose of Moderna instead of a third P shot.

Agreed, now that there is some data saying the Moderna vaccine effectiveness doesn't drop off as fast, it is probably better to wait and see when/if it does drop off and get a booster then.

 

[ivinsfan]

How will you know when you’ll need one?

I've already said I am waiting for more info from Moderna as to timing.

 

[Koolau]

It would be nice if it was two shots and done for life, but the history of many vaccines is that over time better ones are developed. Polio and Shingles come to mind.

I fully expect I will be getting a 4th Covid vaccine shot sometime before Summer 2023, and this one would be tailored to to defend against the newer variants like Delta and other variants may come down the pipe. And it may even give several years worth of protection. Who knows? Time will tell.

Yeah, I've pretty much resigned myself to taking flu shots and Covid shots for the rest of my life. Small price to pay if they work. YMMV

 

[ivinsfan]

Having friends who received both Moderna vaccines and still got the illness, I'm willing to take the minuscule chance that there could be a side effect if I get a booster - maybe for limited or even NO benefit! Unfortunately, I don't have that choice - without cheating in some fashion which I'm not prepared to do.

That's a good data point. and I'm not implying that Moderna is bulletproof, nothing is bulletproof...

 

[Koolau]

That's a good data point. and I'm not implying that Moderna is bulletproof, nothing is bulletproof...

I agree. Heh, heh, I'm thinking a booster for Moderna would make it a bit more bullet "resistant."

 

[Ian S]

Has anyone seen any research studies attempting to correlate "severity" of reaction to the vaccine to ultimate protection against the disease? I put severity in quotes because I wouldn't include allergic reactions just things like no reaction at all versus having full on aches and pains with fever for a couple of days.

 

[Koolau]

Has anyone seen any research studies attempting to correlate "severity" of reaction to the vaccine to ultimate protection against the disease? I put severity in quotes because I wouldn't include allergic reactions just things like no reaction at all versus having full on aches and pains with fever for a couple of days.

Honestly, I haven't seen anything indicating what I would call "severe" reactions to the M or P vaccines. I think the J&J had (what?) 6 possible serious reactions. Someone please correct me on this as I'm curious too. My impression is that the Covid vaccines in general have been VERY safe indeed. I guess that's why I'd be willing to get a M booster even if it's for only a small bump in immunity. Very much a YMMV situation.

 

[explanade]

As I understand it, a normal Moderna vax contains 3 times the volume of a Pfizer vax.

Does anyone understand if the mRNA material is more dense in the Pfizer, or was this simply the companies' best estimate of the "correct" amount?

Relates to 1/2 Moderna dose being 20ug MORE than a full dose of Pfizer - in volume.

They determined the dosage regimen during trials.

But they didn’t measure antibodies 6 months or more out nor was their delta variant during the trials.