(Reuters) – A panel of advisers to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Thursday are considering several recommendations for rollout of COVID-19 vaccine boosters from Moderna Inc and Johnson & Johnson, expected to pave the way for additional shots for millions of Americans.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday authorized the booster doses U.S. FDA clears Moderna, J&J COVID-19 boosters, backs use of different vaccine for boost, and said Americans can choose a different shot from their original inoculation.
The CDC is expected to sign off in the coming days on the recommendations of the panel for a rollout that health officials said could be confusing.
In a nod to the advisory panel’s task ahead, CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky laid out its charge in helping clarify any confusion about the various booster regimens.
“These recommendations will not just address who should receive a booster dose, but also include what vaccine they should receive,” she said at the start of the meeting.
The panel is set to vote on booster dose recommendations later on Thursday, which will be sent to Walensky for review.
The FDA and CDC previously signed off on booster shots of the COVID-19 vaccine from Pfizer Inc and partner BioNTech SE for those age 65 and over, as well as individuals at high risk or severe illness and those at risk of exposure to the virus through their jobs.
(Reporting by Manas Mishra in Bengaluru and Julie Steenhuysen in Chicago; Editing by Bill Berkrot)
