medwireNews: The US FDA has amended its Emergency Use Authorizations for the Pfizer–BioNTech (BNT162b2) and Moderna (mRNA-1273) COVID-19 vaccines to permit the use of an additional booster dose in certain immunocompromised individuals.
This group includes people with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs) undergoing active treatment with high-dose corticosteroids, tumor necrosis factor inhibitors, other immunosuppressive or immunomodulatory biologics, alkylating agents, or antimetabolites, confirmed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The additional vaccine dose should be given at least 28 days after completion of the initial two-dose regimen, and the same vaccine type should be given, says the FDA. The Pfizer–BioNTech vaccine can be given to people aged 12 years and older, while the Moderna vaccine is authorized for those aged at least 18 years.
“This will be enormously important for our immunocompromised patients,” said David Karp, President of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR), in a press release.
The ACR recommends that all immunocompromised individuals, including those who have received a third vaccine dose, should continue to follow COVID-19 prevention measures, including wearing a face covering, staying 6 feet away from people outside their household, and avoiding crowds and poorly ventilated indoor spaces.
medwireNews is an independent medical news service provided by Springer Healthcare Ltd. © 2021 Springer Healthcare Ltd, part of the Springer Nature Group
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