Breaking down COVID-19 vaccine booster approvals

The path to approvals for a booster dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine has seemed complicated.

"This is a confusing set of recommendations," says Dr. Gregory Poland, an infectious diseases expert and head of Mayo Clinic's Vaccine Research Group. "So let's look at the four groups approved for only the Pfizer booster, thus far. If you got a primary series of the Pfizer vaccine, you're 65 and older, and it's been six months or more, you are eligible for a booster. If you're 50–64 and you have medical conditions that place you at high risk, you are eligible for the booster. If you're 18–49, you may be able to get a booster based on a medical condition and if you talk with your health care provider to weigh risks and benefits. And, finally, for people 18–64 years old, who are health care providers in congregate living situations or who have occupations that place them at high risk for transmission, such as school teachers, they also may be eligible. That should happen very soon."

In this Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Dr. Poland talks more about the approval process for COVID-19 vaccine boosters, including for the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines. He also discusses the possibility that emergency use approval for children, down to age 5, could come before the end of October.

To practice safe social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic, this interview was conducted using video conferencing. The sound and video quality are representative of the technology used. For the safety of its patients, staff and visitors, Mayo Clinic has strict masking policies in place. Anyone shown without a mask was recorded prior to COVID-19 or recorded in an area not designated for patient care, where social distancing and other safety protocols were followed.

Read the full transcript.

Research disclosures for Dr. Gregory Poland.

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Information in this post was accurate at the time of its posting. Due to the fluid nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, scientific understanding, along with guidelines and recommendations, may have changed since the original publication date.

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