NYC Prepares and Stocks Vaccination Sites to Provide Moderna and J & J Boosters: FDA Authorization Expected this Week

     The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), last Thursday, voted to approve, but did not yet formally authorize, the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson boosters, and New York City is getting ready to administer the boosters that may receive formal FDA authorization later this week.

     “We are waiting for all the final details,” Mayor Bill de Blasio said this morning. “We are getting ready in anticipation of that approval.”

     In particular, the mayor said that he is ensuring that vaccination sites are ready, that healthcare workers are prepared, and that New Yorkers are informed.

     Even before the FDA provides formal authorization, the mayor said that the boosters are on the way. But for now, the city can only supply New Yorkers with the brands they received previously.

     “As we receive the final information about the boosters, we are going to provide that information to all New Yorkers right away,” the mayor said.

     Dave Chokshi, MD, the city’s health commissioner reminded New Yorkers that three categories of residents, who received their second doses of the Pfizer vaccine at least six months ago, are already eligible to receive their boosters.

      “Those eligible must be 65 and older, 18 to 64-year-olds must have underlying conditions, and those 18 to 64, who are at high risk to COVID because of their occupations, such as healthcare workers, and institutional settings, like nursing homes,” said Dr. Chokshi, who said that more than 168,000 New Yorkers have already received Pfizer booster doses.

    The number of New Yorkers who have gotten at least one vaccine dose is six million: a number the mayor called “seismic and the reason, we are seeing COVID declining in this city.” The battle against COVID, however, he said, “is far from over.”

(Photo: Don Pollard/Office of Formor Governor Andrew M. Cuomo)