The FDA authorized a second booster dose of either the Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccines for older people and certain immunocompromised individuals, as these populations are at higher risk for severe disease, hospitalization, and death.
Emerging evidence suggests that a second booster dose of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine improves protection against severe COVID-19 and is not associated with new safety concerns.
This new authorization allows individuals aged 50 and older to receive a second booster dose at least four months after their first booster dose. The same timeframe applies to immunocompromised individuals who have undergone solid organ transplants, or those who are living with conditions considered to have an equivalent level of immunocompromise.
This new authorization does not apply to the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
