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      Booster shots for all three COVID-19 vaccines have received the green light from federal health officials, and millions of Americans are eligible for the extra dose — some are now

eligible for two.  Experts say boosters can strengthen the body’s immune response against the highly contagious omicron variant and its fast-spreading subvariant, BA.2, and prevent some of

the worst outcomes of a coronavirus infection. Unvaccinated individuals were 21 times more likely to die than their boosted peers during the height of the omicron surge, federal data show.

And in the 65-plus age group, hospitalizations were nine times higher in unvaccinated individuals, compared to those who had been vaccinated and boosted. Here’s what you need to know about

getting a booster from Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna or Johnson & Johnson (J&J) before rolling up your sleeve. PFIZER Pfizer’s mRNA booster has been available to millions of Americans

since Sept. 24, as it was the first of the three COVID-19 vaccine boosters to pass regulatory hurdles from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention (CDC).   WHO QUALIFIES? * People 12 and older who were vaccinated with two doses of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine at least five months ago. * Adults 18 and older who were vaccinated

with two doses of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine at least five months ago.  * Adults 18 and older who were vaccinated with Johnson & Johnson’s single-shot COVID-19 vaccine at least two

months ago. Adults 50 and older can receive a second booster of Pfizer-BioNTech’s product at least four months after receipt of a first booster dose of any authorized or approved COVID-19

vaccine. So can people 12 and older “who have undergone solid organ transplantation, or who are living with conditions that are considered to have an equivalent level of immunocompromise,”

the FDA says. WHAT ARE THE SIDE EFFECTS? Pfizer’s booster is the same formulation and dosage as the first two shots in the series. And clinical trial data shows the side effects from it are

similar to those many experienced the first time around, the most common being: * Injection site pain * Fatigue * Headache * Muscle pain * Chills These symptoms are usually mild to

moderate in severity and typically resolve in a few days. WHAT ARE THE RARE REACTIONS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS VACCINE? More serious side effects can occur but are rare. Anaphylaxis, a severe

allergic reaction, is one example. A small number of people have experienced this after getting vaccinated against COVID-19. However, anaphylaxis can happen after any vaccination, and

vaccine providers should be able to treat it quickly.    Myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle) and pericarditis (inflammation of the sac that surrounds the heart) have been linked

to the mRNA vaccines (Pfizer and Moderna). Cases have mostly been reported in males under 30, more often after the second dose. Symptoms — chest pain, shortness of breath, feelings of

having a fast-beating, fluttering or pounding heart — can pop up several days after vaccination. Experts stress that these events are rare and people usually recover quickly with medical

care and rest, but it’s important to know the signs.  CAN I GET BOOSTED WITH ANOTHER BRAND? Yes. If you are 18 or older and qualify for Pfizer’s booster but don’t have access to it or want

to get a booster from Moderna or J&J, that is an option, though health officials recommend the mRNA vaccines (Pfizer and Moderna) over J&J’s product.  (People age 12 through 17 can

only get boosted with Pfizer at this time.)  Preliminary results from a federally funded study show that while boosters from all three manufacturers (Pfizer, Moderna and J&J) enhance

antibody levels, getting boosted with a vaccine from a different manufacturer can have a more pronounced effect on immune response. What’s more, the study showed no new or concerning side

effects from mixing and matching. NEED HELP GETTING A COVID-19 VACCINE OR BOOSTER? Visit vaccines.gov or call 800-232-0233 (TTY: 888-720-7489) for assistance in English, Spanish, and many

other languages. If you’re thinking of mixing up your booster, it’s a good idea to talk to your doctor first, says Mohammad Sobhanie, M.D., an infectious disease expert at the Ohio State

University Wexner Medical Center. “I think it’s incredibly important that you have these conversations with your primary care physician so that they can give you the best advice out there

based on your medical conditions,” he says. MODERNA Moderna’s booster, another mRNA vaccine, got the go-ahead from health officials on Oct. 21. WHO QUALIFIES? * Adults 18 and older who

were vaccinated with two doses of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine at least five months ago. * Adults 18 and older who were vaccinated with two doses of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine at least five

months ago.  * Adults 18 and older who were vaccinated with Johnson & Johnson’s single-shot COVID-19 vaccine at least two months ago.   Adults 50 and older can receive a second booster

of Moderna’s product at least four months after receipt of a first booster dose of any authorized or approved COVID-19 vaccine. So can people 18 and older who have certain conditions that

compromise their immune systems, including people who have undergone solid organ transplantation.