The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Wednesday said it was not changing its definition of "full vaccination" against COVID-19, but the agency adjusted its emphasis on the appropriate regimen, tweaking how it referred to the shots, reported The New York Times.

The CDC said that three doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech or Moderna vaccines should be considered "up to date" inoculations, and that Johnson & Johnson recipients should receive a second dose, preferably of Moderna or Pfizer/BioNTech, to also be considered "up to date" with COVID-19 vaccines.

"Consistent with how public health has historically viewed or even talked about how we recommend vaccines, we are now recommending that individuals stay up to date with additional doses that they are eligible for," remarked CDC director Rochelle Walensky.

The CDC did not change the definition of what qualifies as full vaccination. "The technical definition of 'fully vaccinated' — two doses of an mRNA vaccine or one dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine — has not changed," stated agency spokesperson Kristen Nordlund, adding that "individuals are considered fully vaccinated once they have received their primary series."

However, she noted that the agency recommends that people "stay 'up to date' by receiving any additional doses they are eligible for, according to CDC's recommendations, to ensure they have optimal protection."