US Vaccine Panel signals initial support for Covid-19 booster shots

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A panel of health experts advising the US government on vaccines has expressed initial support for giving Covid-19 boosters to immunocompromised people, but said they are waiting for regulatory action before making a formal recommendation.

A working group of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices Thursday also endorsed continued use of the J&J vaccine, despite a recent warning about a lower risk of a rare neurological disorder among people who take the vaccine.

The ACIP, which advises the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is developing recommendations for the use of vaccines generally in the United States. The committee is composed of experts in infectious diseases, immunology and public health.

Her consideration of boosters came as evidence mounted that Covid-19 vaccines are less effective among people with compromised immune systems than the rest of the population, increasing the risk of infection and severe disease.

About 2.7% of adults in the United States are considered immunocompromised, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, including transplant recipients, some cancer survivors, and people with HIV. This makes them less responsive to vaccines, which require stimulation of the immune system to provide protection.

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