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20856219 tn?1541792336

Covid-19 Boosters - Qualifying, Mixing

So I am fully vaccinated with Moderna, coming up on 6 months. I should qualify for a booster since I work in a school and have a high risk of exposure. I don't meet the age requirements.

Do I have to wait for Moderna's booster or can I get Pfizer's booster? Can I mix and match the mRNA vaccines? Are there dangers to mixing them?
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649848 tn?1534633700
Everything I’ve read says that the 2 vaccines should not mixed/matched because there has been no safety testing done to make sure it’s safe to combine them.   I’ve, also, read that there are higher antibody counts with the Moderna vaccine, even after several months.  

I’m fully vaccinated with Moderna, as well.  I had my second shot in Feb, so I’m right at 7 months out.  I’m feeling pretty safe, at this point but I do carry a mask and whenever I feel it’s warranted, I’ve no qualms about wearing it.  
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Avatar universal
There are mixed messages being put out about this.  In the US, the answer has always been we don't know, there's insufficient data, and so stick to the vaccine you got -- but.  The but is because other countries have been mixing and matching and not showing any adverse effects.  Don't know if they're showing positive effects, though.  From what I've heard from a Fauci interview, he expects both Moderna and J&J to get another shot authorized pretty soon.
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To add, one of the reasons Moderna hasn't been authorized yet is they are trying something different.  Their first two shots are holding up a lot better than any other vaccine, and the reason that's been suggested without being proven by evidence is that they put 4 instead of 3 weeks between doses and also they put more of the mRNA in their vaccine.  Because of that, their booster being tested isn't the same shot we all got, it's got a lesser amount of the substance in it than their first two doses.  That makes it more time consuming to test, as it's a different shot.  Their reasoning is this will produce fewer side effects, be better for younger smaller folks, and allow them to make more vaccines more quickly.  It's always a rule, if you can get by with less, you do.  It's safer.  Peace.
he would be good to go trust me, I was fully sinopharm vaccinated, yet I didn't feel I was protected enough so I when I got back to France (month after)I received both pfizer shots. And you are talking about both mRNA vaccines, it's like literally getting the same shot, we are talking about same methodology!
Not really.  It appears the Moderna has more mRNA in it.  While they both did use mRNA research to make the vaccine, the Moderna obviously did something different because research shows it is holding up better than the BioNTech.  I mentioned the two reasons that have might account for it.  All we know is, in the US, when it comes to boosters, Pfizer was much quicker to turn data over to FDA than J&J or Moderna.  Moderna probably suffers a bit from being a much smaller company, but it also appears to suffer from trying to make as much money as possible from this.  This has come up lately as pressure is being put on them to make more vaccine for poor countries, which so far it has not done.  Three of its largest shareholders are already billionaires from the vaccine.  This is especially concerning as it made this vaccine in association with NIH and money from the US gov't.  It has never before made a product that actually worked, while the other two companies are huge old companies.  But again, the Moderna appears to be the most effective vaccine out there, and because of that their booster will have less mRNA in it than the Pfizer booster because it used more to being with and is holding up much better.  At least as far as we know.    
3191940 tn?1447268717
I agree with everything already stated here.  The (slim) data available from those who chose to "mix and match" boosters show that it's not dangerous, but also, there aren't enough data to show benefit, either.

It's understandable that people are anxious, but the data show that two doses of the Moderna vaccine offer a very high level of protection against COVID, and, in particular, severe or fatal COVID.  

IF a Moderna booster becomes available, assuming the criteria for eligibility remain the same, you should qualify.  Education staff are listed among those who are in high-risk occupations: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/booster-shot.html#HighRisk
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