FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Oct. 15, 2021
CONTACT: Chris Boyle, Director of Communications
(860) 706-9654 – christopher.boyle@ct.gov
Connecticut Department Of Public Health Issues Statement Regarding J&J And Moderna COVID-19 Boosters
HARTFORD, Conn.—Today, the Food and Drug Administration’s advisory committee voted unanimously to recommend emergency use authorization of a booster dose of Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine at least two months after people age 18 and older receive the first dose.
On Thursday, the FDA advisory committee also recommended a booster dose of the Moderna vaccine six months after full vaccination in people 65 and older, and with individuals 18 – 64 years of age who are at high risk of severe COVID-19.
While this week’s FDA meetings are the start of the process, the Connecticut Department of Public Health will continue to work with our federal partners, vaccine providers, and other stakeholders to be sure we are ready to provide the Moderna and J&J boosters when these recommendations are finalized.
The next steps are for the FDA to offer a final recommendation for the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) when they meet on Oct. 20 and 21. Pending this guidance from ACIP, we expect that the administration of both these booster vaccines could start as soon as Oct. 22.
This timeline is subject to change as more information is released. DPH looks forward to collaborating with hundreds of vaccine providers across the state on any booster roll-out. These providers include hospitals/health systems, federally qualified health centers, pharmacies, physician practices, and local health departments. DPH stresses that there is a more than adequate supply of vaccines available.
The COVID-19 vaccines authorized in the United States continue to be remarkably effective in reducing the risk of severe disease, hospitalization, and death, even against the widely circulating Delta variant. It is critical that unvaccinated and partially vaccinated people get their primary series of vaccines to further reduce the risk of COVID-19 and its more severe outcomes. Nearly all the cases of severe disease, hospitalization, and death continue to occur among those not yet vaccinated at all.
Published by: Heather Trabal, MD
Heather.Trabal@ct.gov