Moderna booster shot update: Here’s the latest news for prior vaccine recipients

If you received a Moderna COVID-19 vaccine earlier this year, you may soon be able to get another dose. That’s because the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC) has voted in favor of granting Moderna boosters Emergency Use Authorization, according to a press release from Moderna.

However, it’s important to note that VRBPAC’s vote is nonbinding. The FDA itself must still authorize the Moderna booster for use and so must the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). But if both organizations do agree to move forward with the booster, The New York Times says it won’t be long before those eligible can get the extra jab. As for who is eligible for a Moderna booster, Moderna states that a person must slot into one of the following categories:

Individuals who are 65 and older who have had their previous round of vaccines at least six months ago
Individuals who are between the ages of 18 and 64 who have a “high risk of severe COVID-19”
Individuals who are between 18 and 64 and are at risk of severe illness or complication should they be exposed to COVID-19

If the FDA and CDC do move forward with the Moderna booster, it would be the second vaccine in the U.S. approved for booster shots. Last month the Pfizer vaccine became the first to be approved for boosters.