With Authorization of a Second COVID-19 Booster for Some, ‘Fully Vaccinated’ May Have a New Definition

With COVID-19 ebbing and flowing throughout the world, including the United States, healthcare organizations continue striving to stay ahead of the next variant and potential for another surge. To that end, the Food and Drug Administration has amended its emergency use authorization to authorize a second booster dose of either the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine for individuals age 50 and older at least 4 months after receiving their first booster dose, as well as for individuals 12 years of age and older who have undergone solid organ transplantation or who are living with conditions that are considered to have an equivalent level of immunocompromise. The FDA further noted that a second booster dose of the Moderna vaccine may be administered at least 4 months after the first booster dose of any authorized or approved COVID-19 vaccine to individuals 18 years of age and older with the same certain kinds of immunocompromise.