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Top virologist and White House advisor, Dr. Fauci says if you do this, your vaccination will produce more antibodies! The senior medical advisor says that the amount of protective proteins will be “higher” in this case – now you need to know!
Refreshers are available for all vaccines
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As of October 20, single-dose boosters for all three COVID-19 vaccines available in the United States have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The news cleared up many questions for people who initially lived with uncertainty after Moderna and Johnson & Johnson recipients had to wait for a green light from the agency. At the same time, however, the FDA’s approval of blended vaccines raises a whole new set of questions for people who want the best possible protection from their vaccinations. While regulators haven’t specifically recommended one type of vaccination over another, Anthony Fauci, MD, senior medical adviser to the White House, says that doing at least one thing when getting a booster shot has been shown to produce more protective antibodies.
This could produce a better vaccination response!
During an appearance on ABC’s This Week on Oct. 25, host George Stephanopoulos pressed Fauci to explain if there are any benefits to seeking a different type of shot for your booster than the one you originally received. He said the latest approval only provides greater flexibility in terms of dose availability, but that those who originally received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine may have a stronger immune response if they opt for an mRNA vaccine for the second shot.
“If you look at the amount of antibodies that are induced – if you originally had [Johnson & Johnson] J&J and then you get Moderna or Pfizer, for example – the amount of antibodies, that is, the proteins that you would be predicted to protect you, increases higher with the Moderna boost to J&J than with the J&J boost,” Fauci explained.
More antibodies with this vaccination
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“It’s a little more complicated than that, though, because in the clinical trial that J&J did, the clinical effect of the second dose of J&J was quite substantial,” he then explained. “So it’s a matter of what’s most appropriate. What do you think is best for you?”
Fauci’s comments reflect data from a recent study published Oct. 13 on medRxiv, which found that those who received Johnson & Johnson received much higher antibody levels from booster shots of the mRNA vaccines. While a second shot from Johnson & Johnson increased antibody levels fourfold, Pfizer recipients saw a 35-fold increase and those from Moderna saw a 76-fold increase.
But while Fauci has shied away from recommending one type of booster vaccine over another, others have been more bold in voicing their opinions. Dr. Jyotsna Shah, a virus expert and president of the IGeneX lab, recently told Best Life that she advises Johnson & Johnson recipients to get a booster shot with one of the other two vaccines. And unlike the approvals for those who received the first doses of Moderna and Pfizer, which are limited by age or risk factors, all Johnson & Johnson recipients who were vaccinated at least two months after the first vaccination can receive a booster under the FDA and Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) approvals.
Recommendation on mRna!
“For those who originally received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, I would recommend going for the booster shot from Moderna or Pfizer,” Shah says. “First, because the effectiveness of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine appears to have worn off more quickly than the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine. Second, because there is evidence that combining different vaccines can be highly effective.”
Ultimately, Fauci said, the decision to vaccinate depends on the individual and their specific needs. “If you have questions about it, consult your doctor,” he told Stephanopoulos. “I think the good news about it is that it allows people a significant amount of flexibility to get what we hope is a booster shot that increases and optimizes their protection.”