The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is set to hold a meeting Wednesday about potential booster shots of the COVID-19 vaccine.

A Food and Drug Administration advisory panel said last week that additional doses of the vaccine are only necessary for those 65 and older and the immunocompromised.

Executive Vice Chair of Medicine at North Shore University Hospital Dr. David Hirschwerk says the CDC committee will take the FDA’s decision into consideration and can make any modifications.

Afterward, the FDA will make a final decision.

Several new studies released Tuesday show that adding a second shot of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine could provide 94% protection against symptomatic infection of COVID-19.

Dr. Hirschwerk says the same process will have to be undertaken by the FDA and CDC.

He says those who were expecting to only take one shot need to understand that over time there is a waning of immunity.

“Currently, the vaccines remain very, very effective at preventing severe illness, but when we consider certain circulation of patients, particularly our elderly patients and those who are immunocompromised, a third dose is valuable,” Hirschwerk says.

Meanwhile, cases of COVID-19 among children are rising, but Pfizer says a lower dose of its vaccine is safe for young children and plans are in the works to get those shots approved.

Dr. Lucia Benzoni, a pedestrian with Hartford Health Care Fairfield Region says it is “very concerning” any time a child gets ill.

She says a lot of parents are scared of the vaccine and its side effects.

Benzoni says the Pfizer vaccine is going to be .1 ml for children 5 to 11 years old.

She says she believes the vaccines will be approved by Halloween.

“I do think the administrative offices, and people approving vaccines like the FDA, are fast tracking it as much as possible,” Benzoni says. “And I don’t think they’re being cavalier about it.”