The CDC now recommends Pfizer boosters after 5 months, not 6

[Nevilledog]

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NPR
@NPR
The CDC is now recommending that people who were initially immunized with two shots of the Pfizer COVID vaccine should receive a booster shot after 5 months — rather than 6.

The CDC now recommends Pfizer boosters after 5 months, not 6
The move to shorten the Pfizer booster interval comes as the U.S. shatters daily case records. The recommended interval for those who received Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccines has not changed.
npr.org
2:45 PM · Jan 4, 2022

https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2022/01/04/1070178324/cdc-pfizer-booster-covid-vaccine

People who were initially immunized with two shots of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine should receive a booster shot after five months, rather than six, according to a new recommendation from the the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The move comes after the Food and Drug Administration on Monday authorized the change in the Pfizer booster interval, saying that a third shot after five months may "provide better protection sooner for individuals against the highly transmissible omicron variant."

In a statement, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said urged eligible Americans to receive a booster as soon as possible.

"As we have done throughout the pandemic, we will continue to update our recommendations to ensure the best possible protection for the American people," Walensky said. "Today's recommendations ensure people are able to get a boost of protection in the face of omicron and increasing cases across the country, and ensure that the most vulnerable children can get an additional dose to optimize protection against COVID-19."

Recommendations for booster shots for those who initially received vaccines made by Moderna or Johnson & Johnson have not changed: Moderna recipients should seek their booster after six months; those who received Johnson & Johnson should get one after two months.

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[hlthe2b]

1. Note to moderate-severely immunocompromised (ONLY) & recd Pfizer: 4th dose comes at 5 months too

Note that this only applies to those who received Pfizer as your previous vaccine (1-3) among those who are moderate to severely immunocompromised. If you received Moderna, your 4th dose comes at six months following your primary series 1-3.

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/recommendations/immuno.html

This is not for the "worried well" but for those who truly meet the criteria of moderate-severe immunocompromised. Check with your specialist (immunologist/rheumatologist, oncologist, other) if unsure.