COLUMBIA, S.C. — The CDC has now approved COVID-19 booster shots for the Moderna and Johnson and Johnson vaccines. They’ve also okayed mixing and matching vaccines.
The news has raised some questions and concerns about the shots, so News19 took them straight to DHEC for answers.
Columbia resident Latasha Terry said "I would like to get the booster shot because I have asthma, so that’s something I’m interested in.”
Terry said she is fully vaccinated. DHEC’s public health director Dr. Brannon Traxler said if she has moderate to severe asthma, it’s recommended she gets the booster.
"People that have some of those co-morbidities or underlying medical conditions that make them more likely to get severe illness, if they were to get infected, are the people that would really qualify for the boosters, if they’re 18 and up,” explained Traxler.
Terry got the Moderna vaccine but is weary about mixing with a different kind. "I would stick with Moderna,” Traxler said.
Others say they've heard you’re actually supposed to mix and match.
"Yesterday, the media came out that they want you to get a different booster," one woman claimed. "So, if you got the Pfizer, they want you to get the Moderna or the Johnson and Johnson."
But Dr. Traxler said that's not correct.
"The CDC at this point has not given a recommendation that you should mix and match. The recommendation is that it’s optional and each person may choose," said Traxler.
She added that there isn't a wrong answer for which booster to choose at the moment, "whether you go for a new one or stick with what you’ve been getting.”
Others that News19 spoke with said they don’t understand why someone would need a booster in the first place.
"We have the two vaccine shots. Why do we need this third one if they said we only needed the first two?" Connor Mullin asked.
Here's Traxler's response.
"We know vaccines and the protection and immunity they provide fade over time, and that’s not new for this vaccine. They all do it at very different rates and different speeds.”
Since protection eventually fades, that’s why Traxler said vulnerable populations should get the booster, while others may not need to yet.
"A healthy, young college student, especially if they’re not living in a big crowded setting, may not need a booster yet if they got the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine,” explained the health director.
Mullin also wanted to know, "what's in this booster shot that’s different? Is it going to add on to what's already in the system?”
Traxler answered by explaining all three boosters have the same make up as their original vaccines. Their purpose is to give a boost to your immune system using the same vaccine, after its effects have dwindled down over time.
It's recommended by the CDC to get the Johnson and Johnson at least two months after the first shot. For Pfizer and Moderna, the agency recommends waiting at least six months after the second dose before getting the booster.
Boosters are available now for people eligible and many sites are working out logistics to offer them as soon as possible.
To look for vaccine appoints through DHEC, click here.