FDA, CDC Approve Moderna and Johnson & Johnson Booster Vaccinations

Posted on October 28, 2021 by Kari Everson

After weeks of discussions, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) added booster vaccinations to the emergency use authorization (EUA) for both Moderna and Johnson & Johnson. The CDC endorsed recommendations for booster injections.

On Oct. 27, the CDC published updated information about COVID-19 vaccine recipients and who can receive booster shots. On-going discussions regarding the ability to mix and match vaccine types resulted in a statement on the CDC website indicating recommendations now allow for mix and match dosing for booster shots.

Moderna Eligibility

Individuals who received Moderna for the original two-dose vaccination series are eligible for a booster at least six months after the second shot if they are:

• 65 years of age or older
• Age 18+ living in long-term care settings
• Age 18+ with underlying medical conditions
• Age 18+ working in high-risk settings

Johnson & Johnson Eligibility

Individuals 18 years of age or older and received the one-dose Johnson & Johnson Janssen vaccine are eligible for a booster shot at least two months after the original vaccination.

Organizing booster clinics is well underway in long-term care settings.  If you haven't been able to secure vaccine clinics with your original vaccine partner, other options are available. In the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) Long-term Care COVID-19 Booster Vaccination Plan, there is an attachment with pharmacies that can provide booster doses to long-term care organizations along with the region they serve and contact information.  Other actions to prepare include:

• Confirm resident vaccine rosters and determine when boosters are due. MDH has a COVID-19 Vaccine Dose Tracker for Long-term Care Facilities that has sheets for both residents and staff.
• Confirm staff vaccine rosters and determine when boosters are due.
• Sign up for MIIC, if you haven't already done so, to verify the vaccination status of residents and, with permission, staff.
• Obtain booster consent forms from residents and staff.  As a reminder, vaccine information sheets should accompany consent forms: Moderna, Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson.

COVID-19 Vaccination & Influenza Vaccination

COVID-19 vaccinations may be given at the same time or close to other vaccinations. With flu season here, organizations can schedule COVID-19 vaccinations and influenza vaccinations simultaneously to decrease the amount of work it takes to schedule two different vaccination clinics.

If you have difficulty scheduling vaccination clinics or obtaining a vaccination partner, contact MDH by filling out the Booster Assistance Needed REDCap survey.

For more questions regarding booster vaccines, please contact Kari Everson.