COLUMBUS, Ohio — As we are learning more about the omicron variant of COVID-19, those who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine are wondering if they are protected.
Viewers have emailed 10TV questions and we have taken them to a member of our team of infectious disease experts.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention is now recommending Pfizer and Moderna over Johnson & Johnson's vaccine. If you got J&J you likely want to know -- what happens now?
Janice Powell and Vicki Kirk both wrote to 10TV asking if they were protected with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
In Powell's case, she received it as her initial vaccine and then a booster.
“Giving somebody a vaccine is better than not getting a vaccine,” said Dr. Joe Gastaldo from OhioHealth.
Dr. Gastaldo said if you received the J&J vaccine as your initial vaccine, you should get a booster shot at least two months later. He recommends to his patients who got the J&J shot first to get a booster with a messenger RNA vaccine, meaning the Moderna or Pfizer-produced vaccines.
Regardless of what type of booster you receive, he said studies have shown you will reduce your risk of severe infection.
But Kirk asks -- if you got two doses of J&J do you need a third of another type?
Dr. Gastaldo said the answer is no.
“For those who have received J&J they have received a booster shot, there are no further recommendations at this time for them to receive another vaccine,” he said.
Dr. Gastaldo wants to emphasize the phrase – “at this time.”
“The CDC Vaccine Advisory Committee, they are constantly looking at data. And if there's data, strongly supporting that those receiving J&J for either the primary vaccine or booster receive another shot, I feel confident that guidance will come out."