How many coronavirus vaccine shots will you need to stay safe from COVID-19? Dr. Anthony Fauci said there is an optimal number.
Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said Tuesday he thinks the “optimal regimen” for coronavirus vaccination will include three shots — not two, according to The Washington Post.
- The three shots will include the first two doses, as well as a third booster shot. This is only for the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, which come from Moderna and Pfizer.
- It’s unclear what that means for those who got the Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine, which requires only one shot.
- “Ultimately I believe that the optimal regimen for the mRNA (vaccines) is going to include that third booster shot,” Fauci said, per The Washington Post.
Fauci’s comments come as the Food and Drug Administration authorized the Pfizer vaccine for booster shots. People who received the first doses of the Pfizer vaccine can now get their booster shots.
- Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said on NBC News’ “Meet the Press” last weekend that data is coming soon on the Moderna and J&J shots.
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Bloomberg reports the FDA may lean toward approving a half-dose third shot for Moderna since Moderna’s first two shots contain more vaccine than Pfizer’s initial two doses.