WASHINGTON, D.C. – JULY 20: Dr. Anthony Fauci, Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, testifies at a Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee hearing at the Dirksen Senate Office Building on July 20, 2021 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Stefani Reynolds-Pool/Getty Images)
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UPDATED 4:48 PM PT – Sunday, October 17, 2021
Health officials say the Johnson and Johnson vaccine should have originally been two doses. Despite data showing the J&J vaccine wasn’t as effective as the others, like Moderna and Pfizer, White House Chief Medical Adviser Anthony Fauci said recipients should “feel good about the booster recommendation.”
During an interview Sunday, the health expert said recipients of the single-dose J&J vaccine shouldn’t be concerned about the shot’s lower efficacy now that boosters have been recommended. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advisory panel unanimously decided to approve the J&J booster on Friday and are advising people to get it sooner rather than later.
“Everyone who’ve received that first dose of J&J who are 18 and older should receive it,” said Fauci. “So, I think that’s a very good thing. And I think it’s very favorable for those who have received the J&J vaccine. I don’t see that as a problem at all.”
The J&J booster is now available for everyone above the age of 18, but Pfizer and Moderna boosters are only being offered to those 65 and older, and those who are at higher risk, raising concerns about the key differences. Interestingly enough, health officials also confirmed boosting with a different shot than one’s original vaccine seems to be safe and effective.
“What the advisors to the FDA felt is that, given the data that they saw, very likely, this should have been a two dose vaccine to begin with,” Dr. Anthony Fauci tells @MarthaRaddatz booster shots authorized for Johnson & Johnson vaccine. https://t.co/0guMYoI4vj pic.twitter.com/KjPQy9ZGg0
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) October 17, 2021
Although it hasn’t been peer reviewed yet, data revealed J&J recipients who received a Pfizer or Moderna booster had higher antibody levels, making people question which one they should take. Fauci further added that the other vaccine boosters found to be more effective was discovered through “laboratory” data and that boosting the J&J first dose with a J&J second dose is based on “clinical” data, even though he has claimed they’re reflective of each other.
Future plans include the FDA looking into all types of data in order to make determinations on what they’ll authorize. These decisions won’t be made until the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) observes data from Israel, which is about a month ahead of the U.S. in its vaccine distribution.
In the meantime, Fauci said the FDA is on track to approve the Pfizer vaccine for children ages 5-to-11 in early November and health experts have insisted those who haven’t yet received a booster go get one immediately.
Dr. Anthony Fauci tells @MarthaRaddatz that FDA advisers are still on track to make a recommendation about COVID-19 vaccinations for 5 to 11-year-olds by early November. https://t.co/MX4J9ivdW1 pic.twitter.com/Se1KfylcMO
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) October 17, 2021
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