Now is the time to schedule your next COVID Booster Shot

As we head into cooler weather, it is time to think about how to best support your immune system as we begin to think about the upcoming holidays. This is especially key for older adults and those who are immunocompromised. When you schedule your yearly flu vaccine, you should consider the benefits of planning a COVID-19 booster shot.

“If you are eligible, there is no bad time to get your COVID-19 booster. I strongly encourage you to receive it,” CDC Director Rochelle Walensky told NPR on September 5, 2022.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently authorized a second booster dose of either the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 mRNA vaccines for adults over 50 or those who are immunocompromised. This may be administered four months after receiving an initial booster dose. The CDC also recommends that people that fall in these categories receive their second booster. However, if you recently had a COVID infection, the experts suggest that you delay receiving the booster by three months after the positive test.

According to the CDC, “People 65 and older who received both doses of either Pfizer or Moderna vaccines showed a 94% reduced risk of COVID-19 related hospitalization.”

As for thinking about the upcoming holidays, there is no time to delay preparing your immune system since it does take a few weeks to prime your immune system.

As reported by NPR on September 5, 2022, “It does take a few weeks for our immune systems to be primed,” says Dr. Aniruddha Hazra, an infectious disease specialist at the University of Chicago. However, he says waiting until a surge is already underway could be risky.

Citations

Andis Robeznieks Senior News Writer .cls-1{fill:none;}.cls-2{fill:#1da1f2;}Twitter logo. (2022, March 31). 2nd COVID-19 vaccine booster for older adults: What doctors must know. American Medical Association. Retrieved September 7, 2022, from https://www.ama-assn.org/delivering-care/public-health/2nd-covid-19-vaccine-booster-older-adults-what-doctors-must-know?utm_source=pocket_mylist

Aubrey, A. (2022, September 5). Omicron Boosters: Do I need one, and if so, when? NPR. Retrieved September 7, 2022, from https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2022/09/05/1120834024/omicron-boosters-do-i-need-one-and-if-so-when

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (n.d.). Coronavirus disease 2019 (covid-19). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved September 7, 2022, from https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html

Stein, R., & Greenhalgh, J. (2022, September 6). The new COVID booster could be the last you’ll need for a year, federal officials say. NPR. Retrieved September 7, 2022, from https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2022/09/06/1121289835/the-new-covid-booster-could-be-the-last-youll-need-for-a-year-federal-officials