U.S. opens COVID-19 boosters to all adults
WASHINGTON >> The U.S. on Friday opened COVID-19 booster shots to all adults and took the extra step of urging people 50 and older to seek one, aiming to ward off a winter surge as coronavirus cases rise even before millions of Americans travel for the holidays.
Until now, Americans faced a confusing list of who was eligible for a booster that varied by age, their health and which kind of vaccine they got first. The Food and Drug Administration authorized changes to Pfizer and Moderna boosters to make it easier.
Under the new rules, anyone 18 or older can choose either a Pfizer or Moderna booster six months after their last dose. For anyone who got the singledose Johnson & Johnson vaccine, the wait already was just two months. And people can mix-and-match boosters from any company.
California and at least nine other states had already begun offering the boosters to all adults vaccinated with Pfizer or Moderna’s shots six months or more ago. But the eligibility criteria still discouraged many from scheduling appointments.
Major pharmacies such as Walgreens, Rite Aid and CVS said their participation in the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program required them to follow the CDC’s guidance, and those trying to schedule a booster shot from them online even in California had to affirm they met the age and risk criteria. Gov. Gavin Newsom said earlier in the week that pharmacies have accounted for a significant share of vaccinations.
CVS just announced they will start offering boosters to all adults ages 18 years and older who have completed primary vaccination starting Saturday.
“We heard loud and clear that people needed something simpler — and this, I think, is simple,” FDA vaccine chief Dr. Peter Marks told The Associated Press.
Dr. Marty Fenstersheib, Santa Clara County COVID-19 vaccine officer, said the eligibility criteria on the pharmacies’ websites has been a barrier for many people wanting boosters, and the change in CDC guidance should clear that up.
“We’ve heard from a number of people they were still coming up against those eligibility criteria,” said Fenstersheib. “They were seeing what was on the website and were confused.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had to agree before the new policy became official late Friday.
Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky endorsed a recommendation from her agency’s scientific advisers that, in addition to offering all adults a booster, had stressed that people 50 and older should be urged to get one.
“It’s a stronger recommendation,” said CDC adviser Dr. Matthew Daley of Kaiser Permanente Colorado. “I want to make sure we provide as much protection as we can.”
The CDC also put out a plea for those who had previously qualified but hadn’t yet signed up for a booster to quit putting it off, saying older Americans and people with risks such as obesity, diabetes or other health problems should try to get one before the holidays.
The expansion makes tens of millions more Americans eligible for an extra dose of protection.