The battle over how best to protect long-term care residents from COVID-19 cases raged into early fall, with federal officials approving some booster shots and providers still awaiting details in mid-October on the launch of a federal employee vaccine mandate.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Sept. 26 approved a third shot of Pfizer’s vaccine for seniors 65-plus and anyone with underlying medical conditions. It recommended a six-month waiting period. Boosters also were made available to workers in high-risk settings, such as healthcare. 

Still in the balance at press time: how the national staff vaccine mandate might cover adherence to a booster schedule. Most existing provider and state policies call for one or two shots. Also, Food and Drug Administration advisors were set to review whether patients can mix and match shots for booster purposes.