US expected to authorize mix-and-match COVID booster shots

by: ZEKE MILLER Associated Press

Posted: Oct 19, 2021 / 10:16 AM EST / Updated: Oct 19, 2021 / 10:16 AM EST

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal regulators are expected to authorize the mixing and matching of COVID-19 booster shots this week successful an effort to supply flexibility for those seeking to support extortion against the coronavirus.

The upcoming announcement by the Food and Drug Administration is apt to travel on with authorization for boosters of the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson shots and follows the authorization of a 3rd dose for the Pfizer vaccine for galore Americans past month. The determination was previewed Tuesday by a U.S. wellness authoritative acquainted with the substance who was not authorized to talk publically up of the announcement.

The FDA was expected to accidental that, particularly for the mRNA vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna that person proved astir effectual against the virus, maintaining consistency successful the vaccine people was inactive preferable. The bureau was inactive finalizing guidance for the single-shot J&J vaccine.

Allowing mixing and matching could alleviate proviso issues, marque the task of getting a booster simpler for Americans and let radical who whitethorn person had adverse reactions to the archetypal dose to effort a antithetic shot.

The determination volition travel aft the U.S. said it would admit mixing and matching of vaccines administered overseas, arsenic was communal successful Canada and immoderate European countries successful the aboriginal months of the vaccination campaign, for the purposes of entering the U.S.