Boosters Are Really Coming to Town

FDA said you can mix and match vaccine boosters—what does that mean?

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By Daphne Lee, News Editor You've probably been hearing a lot about booster shots lately, but it hasn't been easy to follow the news. As of this week, all the COVID-19 vaccines authorized in the United States—Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson—have a booster available. One of the biggest questions has been whether you can get a different vaccine than what you originally received. The FDA finally offered some clarity. Today's Top Story What Does 'Mix and Match' Mean? The FDA on Wednesday authorized Moderna and J&J booster shots and gave permission for providers to follow a "mix-and-match" approach. It means you can switch to a vaccine brand that's different from your original shot.   If you received the single-dose J&J vaccine, for example, you can get a Moderna or Pfizer booster dose as long as you meet the eligibility criteria. If the CDC also signs off on this recommendation, booster rollout for Moderna and J&J will be coming within days.   Mixing and matching will alleviate some of the distribution issues that plagued the initial vaccine rollout. In addition to making vaccines more accessible, mixing and matching boosters may also offer more protection against COVID-19.   For now, Moderna and Pfizer boosters are limited to people 65 or older, all adults with underlying medical conditions, or those who work in places that have a high risk of COVID-19 exposure. J&J boosters, though, are authorized for anyone 18 and over, because the initial single-shot regimen offers less protection than the other two vaccines. Know More The FDA advisory panel cited a small study that showed either of the mRNA vaccines would create a robust immune response in J&J recipients. Some participants saw a 76-fold increase in antibody levels after receiving a Moderna booster, compared with only a fourfold increase after an extra J&J dose. But the FDA said any booster dose would offer increased protection against the coronavirus. Feel Better FDA experts said that if COVID vaccines become a recurring necessity in the long run, these differences between brands probably won't matter—just like how you often get a flu shot without knowing what brand it is. READ MORE Many workplaces are enforcing vaccine mandates, but not all. Although many workers believe that their colleagues have been vaccinated, nearly one in two people think they might be sitting near someone who hasn't gotten the shot. Americans Are Eating Too Much Salt Besides coronavirus, something else is worrying health officials: sodium. Americans eat almost 50% more sodium per day than recommended, mostly from restaurant meals and processed foods. Since it's hard to change consumer habits, the FDA made a recommendation for the food industry to reduce sodium by 12% in the next few years. Although the guideline is voluntary, food companies may find new ways to offer low-salt foods without compromising too much on flavor. READ MORE YouTube Said No to Vaccine Misinformation Videos YouTube has been a catalyst for vaccine hesitancy. Thousands of people have posted false information about not just the COVID-19 vaccines, but all vaccines in general. Some YouTube conspiracists are so great at stirring emotions that you may end up questioning your own beliefs. But people don't search for misinformation actively—many of them come across misleading videos or articles on social media. YouTube's new policy may not eliminate videos with false claims entirely, but it will likely slow down the spread of misinformation. READ MORE   Brian Southwell, PhD, recommends fact-checking health information online by referring to credible sources like the National Institute of Health, the CDC, or the WHO. If you read something that seems too good to be true or to which you have a strong emotional reaction, search for additional sources of information to verify that claim. Brian Southwell, PhD Senior Director, Science in the Public Sphere, RTI International   Keep Reading   ■ What 'Dune' Should Teach Us About the Beauty of 'Wastelands.' Scientific American     ■ An Unexpected Perk of Free School Lunch. The Counter     ■ 'Slugging' Is the K-Beauty Skincare Trend Going Viral on Reddit. Byrdie More From Verywell Begin Diabetes Screening at 35 READ MORE U.S. Lifts Travel Ban for Vaccinated People READ MORE My Journey With Male Breast Cancer READ MORE   How'd we do? If you have any feedback, send us a note at   feedback@verywell.com.       You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to the Verywell Health newsletter. If you wish to unsubscribe, please click here.   A DOTDASH BRAND 28 Liberty Street, 7th Floor, New York, NY, 10005   © 2021 verywellhealth.com - All rights reserved. Privacy Policy