A panel of health experts advising the U.S. government on vaccines expressed preliminary support for giving Covid-19 boosters to immunocompromised people, but said they were waiting for regulatory action before making a formal recommendation.
A work group of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices panel also on Thursday endorsed the continued use of J&J’s vaccine, despite a recent warning about a low risk of a rare neurological disorder among people taking the shot.
The ACIP panel, which advises the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, develops recommendations for use of vaccines generally in the U.S. The committee is comprised of experts in infectious diseases, immunology and public health.
Its consideration of boosters came as evidence grows that Covid-19 vaccines are less effective among people with weakened immune systems than for the rest of the general population, increasing the risk of infection and severe disease.
About 2.7% of adults in the U.S. are considered immunocompromised, according to the CDC, including transplant recipients, some cancer survivors and people living with HIV. That makes them less responsive to vaccines, which require stimulation of the immune system to provide protection.
