Your questions, answered "I suffer from chronic kidney disease, and I am very close to needing dialysis. My nephrologist suggested I get a Moderna booster. My two first doses were in late April. Should I ask for a 3/4 dose for compromised immunity condition?" — Julia in Mississippi We always suggest talking with your doctor about your specific situation, and luckily, you've already started that conversation. Since your nephrologist suggested you get a booster dose of Moderna's vaccine, the next step is to ask them directly about the best dosage for you. That said, an independent advisory panel to the Food and Drug Administration recommended that people eligible for a Moderna booster receive half the dose initially given. That suggestion applies to adults with certain health conditions that put them at higher risk of severe illness, as well as those ages 65 and older, and adults who are more likely to be exposed at work. FDA officials will now make a decision about Moderna's booster, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will meet Wednesday to make recommendations on how those boosters should be used. The CDC does currently recommend that people who are moderately to severely immunocompromised receive an additional full dose of their original vaccine, separate from a booster. You should ask your nephrologist if you qualify for that suggestion. As for the other vaccine brands, people who initially got Pfizer-BioNTech's vaccine are eligible for a booster if they completed the regiment at least six months ago and fall in similar categories to Moderna: older adults, people with health conditions that put them at higher risk of severe illness, and those in high-risk jobs. The FDA has already authorized that booster. The FDA's outside advisory panel also recommended a booster shot for all adults who initially got the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Like with the Moderna booster, FDA officials and the CDC still need to respond to the committee's suggestions about Johnson & Johnson. They'll also consider data from a small National Institutes of Health study that found people who initially received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine experienced a bigger increase in antibody levels from a booster shot of the messenger RNA Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccines. These updates are a lot to keep track of, so Post reporters Madison Dong and Bonnie Berkowitz made a helpful guide. Answering a few simple questions will tell you if you're currently eligible for a booster shot and, if so, direct you to local providers. You can find the link to our "Am I eligible for a booster shot?" tool here. | 
Email 
