• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Exclusive

An hour in the Oval Office with President Trump.

An hour in the Oval Office with President Trump.

An hour in the Oval Office with President Trump.

An hour in the Oval Office with President Trump.

An hour in the Oval Office with President Trump.

An hour in the Oval Office with President Trump.

An hour in the Oval Office with President Trump.

An hour in the Oval Office with President Trump.

An hour in the Oval Office with President Trump.

An hour in the Oval Office with President Trump.

Health

Should you mix and match COVID-19 vaccine boosters?

By Brett Haensel
October 19, 2021, 8:48 PM ET

On Wednesday, the Food and Drug Administration authorized medical providers to “mix-and match” different COVID-19 booster shots, allowing people to receive a different booster shot than their original vaccine. The decision now gives flexibility to millions of Americans still in search of a COVID-19 booster shot. At the same time, the agency also authorized boosters for Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccine recipients. 

This comes after researchers presented findings from a National Institutes of Health “mix and match” study—which looked at how COVID-19 vaccines and boosters from Moderna, Pfizer, and Johnson & Johnson worked in tandem with each other—to an FDA advisory panel on Oct. 15. The findings showed that recipients of the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine produced stronger antibody levels after receiving either a Pfizer or Moderna booster shot, compared to a J&J booster. The study also found that those who originally took either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine produced comparably strong immune responses after receiving either of the company’s booster shots.

A panel of advisors to the Centers for Disease Control will give on Thursday its own recommendations on boosters. The CDC is expected to agree with the FDA’s decision and encourage flexibility when it comes to mixing vaccines. If both agencies agree, boosters could be available for Americans who qualify by Friday.

The NIH study, which has not yet been peer-reviewed and had a small sample size, found that those who originally received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine produced stronger antibody levels after receiving booster shots made by Moderna or Pfizer, compared to boosters from Johnson & Johnson. The FDA did not recommend any vaccine over the other, and also said nothing on whether it’s preferable to use the same vaccine. Vaccine providers, however, would have discretion to offer Americans boosters of a different vaccine brand than they originally received, reports The New York Times.

Some European countries have already allowed people to take a mix-and-match approach. Back in January, the U.K. authorized mixing and matching for those who did not have access to a second dose of the vaccine they originally received. A preliminary British study showed that individuals who received one dose of the Pfizer vaccine and one dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine produced high levels of antibodies and a protective immune response against COVID-19.

Health officials had been asking for a mix-and-match approach for weeks, believing that patients should have a choice over what booster they receive—either because of adverse reactions to their initial shots or because they are more confident in the immune response a particular brand will provoke. Providers could also have limited supply of certain boosters.

The FDA also officially authorized booster shots for recipients of the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines on Wednesday, a month after their approval of the Pfizer-BioNTech booster.  The FDA’s panel of advisers recommended the Johnson & Johnson booster for people 18 and older who received their initial immunization at least two months earlier. On the other hand, the panel only recommended the Moderna booster for people at least 65 years old and younger adults who risk severe illness or viral exposure at work—the same groups the FDA and CDC authorized the Pfizer booster for last month. Those eligible for the Moderna and Pfizer boosters also need to have received their last dose of the original vaccine at least six months before receiving the booster.

Different eligibility requirements for the three different booster shots could make mixing and matching more complicated and confusing. For now, the authorization of a mix-and-match approach seems most geared toward allowing recipients of the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine to have options with regards to what booster they receive. But experts say any of the boosters offer good protection against severe disease and death.

Update, October 21, 2021: This article has been updated with news about the FDA authorization of boosters.

More health care and Big Pharma coverage from Fortune:

  • What you need to know about the Delta Plus COVID variant and the danger it poses
  • Should kids under 12 get the COVID vaccine? What parents should know
  • Intrivo launches new at-home rapid test for COVID amid U.S. supply shortage
  • COVID-19 vaccine makers could inoculate the world by the end of 2022, says J&J CEO Alex Gorsky
  • Got the J&J vaccine? Here’s what you need to know about boosters

Subscribe to Fortune Daily to get essential business stories straight to your inbox each morning.


Latest in Health

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Health

CDC to escalate Ebola response after WHO declares emergency
HealthHealth
CDC to escalate Ebola response after WHO declares emergency
By Jessica Nix and BloombergMay 17, 2026
12 hours ago
WHO declares latest Ebola outbreak a global health emergency. A rare variant of the disease with no approved treatments is to blame
HealthHealth
WHO declares latest Ebola outbreak a global health emergency. A rare variant of the disease with no approved treatments is to blame
By Chinedu Asadu and The Associated PressMay 17, 2026
17 hours ago
hoeg
HealthFDA
RFK ally confirms she was fired by FDA: ‘I learned so much and leave with no regrets’
By Matthew Perrone and The Associated PressMay 16, 2026
2 days ago
lawyer
CommentaryLaw
Would you hire the lawyer who just got sanctioned for using AI?
By Alexandra SmythMay 16, 2026
2 days ago
lori
Commentarymental health
I run Valvoline Instant Oil Change and work with young people every day. They’re in crisis—and we all have to try to help
By Lori FleesMay 15, 2026
3 days ago
Claude is telling users to go to sleep mid-session and nobody, including Anthropic, seems to fully understand why it keeps doing it
AITech
Claude is telling users to go to sleep mid-session and nobody, including Anthropic, seems to fully understand why it keeps doing it
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezMay 14, 2026
4 days ago

Most Popular

Microsoft AI chief gives it 18 months—for all white-collar work to be automated by AI
AI
Microsoft AI chief gives it 18 months—for all white-collar work to be automated by AI
By Jake AngeloMay 16, 2026
2 days ago
The top foreign holders of U.S. debt may soon dump Treasury bonds and bring their money back home, potentially spiking borrowing costs
Economy
The top foreign holders of U.S. debt may soon dump Treasury bonds and bring their money back home, potentially spiking borrowing costs
By Jason MaMay 17, 2026
18 hours ago
The Bezos family just donated $100 million to help achieve one of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s top campaign promises
Politics
The Bezos family just donated $100 million to help achieve one of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s top campaign promises
By Jake AngeloMay 12, 2026
6 days ago
'No one was coming to save me': How Reese Witherspoon built a $900 million company from a problem Hollywood wouldn't fix
Success
'No one was coming to save me': How Reese Witherspoon built a $900 million company from a problem Hollywood wouldn't fix
By Sydney LakeMay 17, 2026
1 day ago
Former top Russian official admits the country is over Putin and can 'imagine a future without him' — even elites bail as Kremlin seizes their assets 
Politics
Former top Russian official admits the country is over Putin and can 'imagine a future without him' — even elites bail as Kremlin seizes their assets 
By Jason MaMay 16, 2026
2 days ago
SpaceX heads into a record-shattering IPO with the 'deepest moat that exists today' as investors vow to 'never bet against Elon'
Innovation
SpaceX heads into a record-shattering IPO with the 'deepest moat that exists today' as investors vow to 'never bet against Elon'
By Jason MaMay 16, 2026
2 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.