FDA panel recommends half-dose boosters for Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine

The Food and Drug Administration’s advisory panel unanimously approved Thursday a booster shot of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine for select groups of people.

According to the Associated Press, the panel of outside experts recommended booster shots be administered to people over the age of 65, people ages 16 and older who have underlying conditions causing them to be at risk of severe illness, and those whose profession puts them at risk of contracting COVID.

The final category of people includes frontline workers, such as supermarket employees, healthcare professionals, and first responders.

The panel recommended booster shots at half the dosage of the original shots, advising that they can be administered six months after a person was fully vaccinated.

According to NPR, some experts pointed out that the FDA has set a precedent by granting emergency use to Pfizer for its booster shots.

"I support this [emergency use authorization] because we've already approved it for Pfizer, and I don't see how we can possibly not approve it for Moderna and not have most U.S. folks completely confused," said Dr. Stanley Perlman of the University of Iowa. "I think it's a pragmatic issue."

The panel is expected to discuss booster shots for Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine on Friday.