Is it possible to take a booster dose from a different brand than the one initially received?

Question

Hi doctor,

I have just had two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. Both doses were delayed because I got COVID, and my vaccine was postponed for months at a time. Now I am trying to get the third dose. The problem is that the vaccine brand I took is not available nearby. All that is available nearby is the Moderna one. I heard last year that the public was given cocktails of vaccines, and it was normal to receive different vaccines in subsequent doses. I want to understand if I can proceed with the Moderna vaccine. If I remember correctly, I had received the Pfizer vaccine for the first two doses.

Kindly help.

Answer 1

Hi,

Welcome to icliniq, and thank you for choosing us as your provider for health care.

I have gone through your history and understand your concerns.

What vaccine brand were you administered for the primary doses? Was it Pfizer, AstraZeneca, or any other brand? Ideally, it is important to use the same brand for booster doses as the primary dose. However, in case the same brand is unavailable, it is best to take another brand with similar technology (Pfizer and Moderna, AstraZeneca and Serum Institute, and more).

This initial COVID-19 vaccine from one manufacturer and then a booster from a different manufacturer is called ‘mixing and matching.’ The US (United States) CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) allows recipients to ‘mix and match’ their booster shot. That means if your first two doses were Pfizer vaccine, you may receive a booster dose with the Moderna vaccine. If you received one brand of vaccine, you are eligible to receive a booster shot with another brand of vaccine. The US CDC and US FDA (Food and Drug Administration) thoroughly reviewed the available data before making these recommendations

I hope you are satisfied with my answer. For further queries, you can consult me at icliniq.

Thank you.