Questions: I am fully vaccinated with Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine in another country (not one that is FDA-authorized). Should I be re-vaccinated or receive additional doses of an FDA-authorized vaccine?
Answer: Following scenarios have been described by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, based on which you do not need additional dose of FDA-authorized vaccine at this time:
| Scenario | CDC Recommendation |
| People who were fully vaccinated outside the United States with an FDA-authorized COVID-19 vaccine – 2 doses of Pfizer – 2 doses of Moderna – 1 dose of Janssen/J&J |
No need for additional doses. |
| People who were fully vaccinated outside the United States with World Health Organization (WHO) COVID-19 vaccine: – Any AstraZeneca – Covishield (India) – Sinopharm (Beijing only) – Comirnaty/BNT162b2 – Sinovac CoronaVac |
Additional doses of FDA authorized vaccine are not routinely needed. No data are available on the safety or efficacy of receiving an FDA authorized COVID-19 vaccine after receipt of a non-FDA-authorized COVID-19 vaccine. Additional doses can be considered in rare circumstances (e.g., immunocompromised persons), on a case-by-case basis after discussion with their primary medical provider. |
| People who received one dose or partial vaccination outside the United States with World Health Organization (WHO) approved COVID-19 vaccine – Any AstraZeneca – Covishield (India) – Sinopharm (Beijing only) – Comirnaty/BNT162b2 – Sinovac – CoronaVac |
A full series of an FDA-authorized vaccine 28 days after the non FDA-authorized vaccine is recommended with one of the vaccines listed below: – 2 doses of Pfizer – 2 doses of Moderna – 1 dose of Janssen/J&J |
| People who received 1 or 2 doses of COVID-19 vaccines neither authorized by FDA nor listed for emergency use by WHO: – Sputnik V (Russia) – CanSinoBIO – Sinopharm – Wuhan – Bharat Biotech (India) – Others |
A full series of an FDA-authorized vaccine 28 days after the non FDA-authorized vaccine is recommended with one of the vaccines listed below: – 2 doses of Pfizer – 2 doses of Moderna – 2 doses of Janssen/J&J |
Only people who have received all recommended doses of an FDA-authorized or WHO-listed COVID-19 vaccine (and are 2 weeks post last vaccination dose) are considered fully vaccinated for the purpose of public health guidance. The minimum interval between the last dose of a non-FDA authorized vaccine or a WHO-listed vaccine and an FDA-authorized COVID-19 vaccine is 28 days.
References:
- https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/clinical-considerations/covid-19-vaccines-us.html#people-vaccinated-outside-us
- https://yalehealth.yale.edu/covid-19-vaccination-faq-international-students-and-scholars
This information is current as of July 29, 2021, and subject to change based on local transmission, CDC and regulatory guidance. Information and links in this article are provided for informational purposes. Neither references to third parties, nor the provision of any link imply an endorsement or association between IPEC Experts, LLC and third-party sites.
