University of Rochester Medical Center researchers say the Food and Drug Administration’s approval to mix and match COVID-19 booster shots is a game-changer, but it may not be for everyone just yet.
The rollout of booster shots would have been far more complicated to manage if everyone needed to match their original vaccine, said Dr. Angela Branche, co-director of URMC’s Vaccine and Treatment Evaluation Unit.
For now, there is not much urgency for many vaccinated people to get a booster, she said, but it can help some folks who may be more vulnerable to severe COVID-19 infections.
“We’re seeing those risks increase in older people, in people with underlying medical conditions,” Branche said. “But in young, healthy people, we’re not necessarily seeing those risks.”
According to Dr. David Dobrzynski at URMC, there wasn’t much evidence of adverse effects when someone gets a booster of a different vaccine from their original shot.
“We really didn’t see any significant signal for worse side effects with the vaccines in terms of whether you got Johnson & Johnson, Moderna or Pfizer,” Dobrzynski said.
The FDA's approval to receive a booster shot that’s different from their original vaccine means more people may have access to the jab across the country, and perhaps internationally, Branche said.
“I think being able to mix and match and being able to show that you can do that safely and effectively, really opens up possibilities,” she said.
URMC and Rochester Regional Health have taken part in clinical trials of the Pfizer vaccine since last spring, including a recent booster shot trial. Rochester is one of four sites involved in the clinical trials, and 35 Rochesterians were part of the study.
Dr. Ann Falsey co-directed the studies with Branche. She said it’s still a matter of “significant” debate whether young and healthy people who are not healthcare workers need a booster just yet.
