In Brief: Booster Doses of mRNA-Based COVID-19 Vaccines for All Adults

Date: 
December 27, 2021

Issue #: 

1640

Summary: 
On November 19, the FDA expanded the Emergency Use
Authorizations (EUAs) for the mRNA-based COVID-19
vaccines manufactured by Pfizer/BioNTech (Comirnaty)
and Moderna (Spikevax) to include administration
of a booster dose for all adults ≥18 years old after
primary immunization with either the same COVID-19
vaccine or a different one. Booster doses of these
vaccines were previously authorized only for select
populations (age ≥65 years or persons at high risk for
severe COVID-19). The EUA for the adenovirus-based
vaccine manufactured by Johnson & Johnson was
amended in October 2021 to include administration of
a booster dose for all adults ≥18 years old after primary
immunization with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.