COLEMAN, Wis. (NBC 26) — Gary Wondrash, a Coleman native, already has one dose of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine.
Now, he's eager to get another.
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"The booster will obviously give us a boost, increase our antibodies," Wondrash said. "It'll give me another layer of protection against Covid."
The FDA announced those who are fully vaccinated can get a booster shot with any of the three available doses.
And on Thursday, a CDC panel voted to endorse Moderna and J&J boosters along with the previously authorized Pfizer vaccine. Without a brand preference recommendation, medical experts will leave mixing and matching up to patients and their providers.
Looks like U.S. regulators won't take a stance on mix and match, leaving up to the patient to speak with their provider on whether to get a different vaccine for their booster shot.
— Berkeley Lovelace (@BerkeleyJr) October 21, 2021
Q from #ACIP on immunocompromised J&J recipients
"My wife asked me if I wanted to mix," Wondrash said. "I said 'you know the J&J is really close to approval and the word out was that it should be available in November."
The CDC typically makes its final approval decision within a day after the panel vote.
Eligible booster groups currently include ages 65-plus, those over 18 with at-risk conditions and people in workplaces with high chances of Covid exposure.
"We know that [Covid vaccines] wane over time just like most other vaccines," Bellin Health Dr. Robert Mead said. "That’s not a surprise."
Mead says studies show a higher increase in immunity when J&J recipients get a Moderna booster over their original vaccine.
"If you look at the data, then that's probably what I would be recommending my patients once [they] get the final recommendations out."
Mead reports Bellin is already administering third Pfizer doses, and its clinics are ready to mix and match when they get the green light.
"We have to actually get the approval from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services," he said. "So the CDC makes their [approval] and then the Wisconsin Department of Health Services says 'yep.'"
Vaccinated with Pfizer, Wondrash's wife is already one step ahead of him.
"She signed up and she's scheduled to get her booster shot tonight," Wondrash said on Thursday morning.
