The U.S. said Aug. 18 it is prepared to offer booster shots for all Americans who received two doses of Pfizer or Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine beginning the week of Sept. 20 and starting eight months after an individual's second dose.
HHS said "the individuals who were fully vaccinated earliest in the vaccination rollout" will likely be the first ones who are eligible for boosters, including nursing homes residents, healthcare workers and Americans age 65 and older.
HHS said its plan is contingent upon FDA approval for COVID-19 boosters, which hasn't been granted yet. The agency amended the emergency use authorizations for Pfizer's and Moderna's COVID-19 vaccines Aug. 12, allowing for a third dose in immunocompromised people, but not yet for the rest of the population.
"We also anticipate booster shots will likely be needed for people who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine," HHS said in a statement. "Administration of the J&J vaccine did not begin in the U.S. until March 2021, and we expect more data on J&J in the next few weeks. With those data in hand, we will keep the public informed with a timely plan for J&J booster shots as well."