As frontline workers who are at higher risk for catching COVID, teachers are now eligible for boosters regardless of which COVID vaccine they initially received.
While individuals who originally received the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines six months or more ago are only eligible for boosters if they are 65 years or older, have an underlying health condition, or work in a high risk profession (including health care and education), health professionals are recommending boosters to everyone 18 and older who initially received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine two or more months ago due to its lower efficacy.
In its approval of additional boosters last week, the CDC also authorized a “mix and match” approach—allowing individuals to choose to receive a booster from a different vaccine maker than that of their initial vaccination. A recent study from the National Institutes of Health found that mixing and matching vaccines is safe and effective. The study also advised that people who initially received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine could particularly benefit from a boost with an mRNA vaccine (Pfizer or Moderna), as it substantially increased antibody response.
