The Moderna COVID-19 vaccine booster shot is now recommended for high-risk people 18 and older and individuals 65 and older, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced Thursday.
The FDA’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee voted 19-0 to recommend the booster. They previously recommended the Pfizer booster shot in September and voted 19-0 this morning in a committee meeting to do the same for the Moderna booster. Approval for the Johnson and Johnson booster dose is expected by the end of 2021.
“From a pragmatic point of view … because we’ve already approved it for Pfizer, I don’t see how we can possibly not approve it for Moderna,” committee member Dr. Stanley Perlman from the University of Iowa, said during the meeting.
People are eligible for the booster shot six months after their second vaccine dose.
As of Tuesday, San Luis Obispo County reported 1,019 active COVID-19 cases and 331 total deaths. COVID-19 in unvaccinated residents makes up 78.3% of cases, 84.1% of hospitalizations and 77.6% of deaths since June 15. Cal Poly students are currently 94% fully vaccinated as of Wednesday.
San Luis Obispo County is distributing Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson and Johnson vaccines, which can be obtained in San Luis Obispo, Paso Robles and Grover Beach clinics. A full list of vaccine clinic locations and times can be found here.
For more updates on COVID-19 in San Luis Obispo County, visit the county’s positive case details page.