It’s time for another round of COVID-19 vaccine-related questions answered by neurobiologist Dr. Catherine Franssen. This time we’re covering the ins and outs of boosters.
Should I get a COVID-19 vaccine booster?
Yes! The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend that all adults 18 and older should receive a booster shot. This is a recent change. On November 19, 2021, authorization stated everyone 18 and older may get the shot. In light of the new Omicron variant, that guidance changed November 29 from may to a should get the booster.
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What are the benefits of a booster?
Just as with the first one or two doses (depending on which you received) of the COVID-19 vaccine, the booster:
- Helps prevent infection.
- Reduces the severity of the disease.
- Reduces transmission of the virus.
You can feel far more comfortable interacting with other vaccinated and boosted people in your life by being as protected as possible.
Why get the booster 6 months after the original vaccine?
Several studies have looked at vaccine efficacy and show that it begins decreasing with time. While you may have somewhere around 95% efficacy after your initial doses, that begins waning below 90% and toward 80% around the 6-month mark, and continues declining. There are lots of individual variables that might mean you are more or less protected than the average person, so sticking close to the average timeline will keep most people safe.
What about the variants?
Breakthrough cases, particularly with variants like Delta (and potentially Omicron), seem to happen more with individuals whose vaccine efficacy is waning. Getting your vaccine boosted is a good way to protect against all forms of COVID-19.
What about young people 12-17?
Currently the booster is not approved for anyone under 18. In large part this is because the vaccine is so effective in them (essentially 100%) and the efficacy does not seem to drop off as fast.
Does it matter which booster I get?
No! Mix and match as you’d like! You can get the same as your initial doses or can get a different version. All options are fine and all will help keep your immunity high.
Are there any risks of a booster?
Some people experience mild short-term side effects such as fatigue, muscle pain, headache, fever. These are similar to the initial doses of the vaccine. Around 2 in 1,000,000 cases experience potential myocarditis, or inflammation of the heart muscle. It’s worth noting that chance--0.0002%--is similar to the risk without the vaccine, and is actually lower than the myocarditis risk following infection with COVID-19.
If you still have questions about boosters, check out these sites for even more information:
