Who would receive the shots is ultimately up to the FDA and CDC.

In the last couple of months, pharmaceutical company Johnson & Johnson has gradually released new data about its potential booster follow-up to its single-shot COVID-19 vaccine. According to the most recently available data, a booster would increase the vaccine’s efficacy exponentially, greatly improving an inoculated person’s resistance to the disease, as well as their survivability against it.

“We announced that the six month data are a very strong, very strong boost, like an amazingly strong boost,” Dr. Mathai Mammen, head of global research and development for J&J’s vaccine arm, Janssen, told CNN. . “And that two months is a good boost, and the two month good boost was associated with 94% vaccine efficacy, right across the board, all ages.”

Before they can begin administering these boosters, though, Johnson & Johnson needs the FDA’s go-ahead. “We’re describing the data to them,” Mammen said. “The process is not that we asked for a very specific interval — we’re providing them data and we’re going to be presenting to the committee. They’ll take all that into consideration when they ultimately decide on an appropriate interval.”

The Vaccine and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee of the FDA is scheduled to meet on October 14 to deliberate on granting authorization to both Johnson & Johnson and Moderna to begin manufacturing and deploying booster shots for their respective vaccines.

Pfizer received authorization for use of its booster shot on older and immunocompromised people from the FDA on the grounds that protection offered by their vaccine wanes with time. According to Mammen, the efficacy Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine doesn’t wane the same way, so the purpose of the booster shot would be to improve what’s already there, rather than bring it back up as it lowers. “So our argument is not that our vaccine efficacy is fading or waning, but rather that from a personal standpoint, one can get to an even higher level of protection with a boost. So therefore there’s some more latitude on the exact time because you’re not up again, you’re not fighting a clock.”