John Vary will wait to consider getting one later in the fall. He updates the COVID-19 reminder, University of Pennsylvania immunologists know too soon after their injection in late summer, especially since they’re not at high risk of contracting the virus.
This is the kind of reckoning many Americans will face when targeted booster shots at currently circulating strains of Omicron become available to populations with widely varying levels of exposure and immunity.
Here are some things to know:
How are the new boosters different?
These are combination or ‘bicombinant’ vaccines containing half the original vaccine used since December 2020 and half the protection against the current major versions of Omicron, BA.4 and BA.5. This is the first update on COVID-19 vaccines approved by the Food and Drug Administration.
Who is eligible?
The updated shots, taken by Pfizer and its partner BioNTech, are licensed to anyone over the age of 12 and the Rival Modern version is for adults. They are intended to be used as a booster for anyone who already has their primary vaccination series – using vaccines from any US-approved company – and whether they already have them or not. How many boosters do you have?
If I get one of the original boosters, do I have to buy the new strain right away?
No, the FDA has set a minimum waiting period of two months. But consultants from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said it was better to wait longer. Some recommend at least three months, others say someone who is not at high risk can wait up to six months.
“If you wait a little longer, you get a better immune response,” said Dr. Sarah Long, a CDC consultant at Drexel University.
This is because a person who recently received a booster already has more anti-virus antibodies in their blood. The antibodies wear off slowly over time, and another injection too soon won’t bring many additional benefits, said Veri, who was not involved in the government’s decision-making process.
What if I have recently recovered from COVID-19?
Even if you’ve been infected before, it’s important to get vaccinated, but timing is also important here.
The CDC has long told people to postpone vaccination until they recover, but also that people can consider waiting three months after recovery to receive the vaccine. And several CDC advisories state that for a potentially greater benefit from the injection and to reduce the risk of heartburn, a rare side effect that sometimes affects teens and young men, it takes three months. Waiting is important.
How much profit will the new boosters bring?
This is unclear, as testing for this exact recipe has just begun in humans.
FDA approves new booster Human studies of a similarly modified vaccine rely largely on what has just been recommended by regulators in Europe. These modified shots targeted an earlier strain of Omicron, BA.1, which circulated last winter, and studies have found that they revive people’s anti-virus antibodies.
With this older version of Omicron now replaced by ba.4 and ba.5, the FDA has ordered a further adjustment to the injections and tests in mice have shown that they provoke an equally good immune response. Hey.
There is no way to know if the antibodies produced by the Omicron compatible booster can last longer than a few months. But a booster is also thought to increase the memory of the immune system, adding protection against serious diseases caused by the ever-evolving virus.
How do we know I’m safe?
The basic ingredients used in the two updated vaccines targeting Omicron are the same. Pfizer and Moderna are testing their targeted BA.1 versions.
Influenza vaccines are updated every year without human trials.
Can I get a new COVID-19 booster and a flu shot at the same time?
Yes, one in each hand.
What if I want to wait?
People at high risk of COVID-19 are encouraged to receive a new reminder when the deadline is due. After all, BA.5 is still prevalent, and hospitalization rates among the elderly have increased since spring.
According to the CDC, most Americans eligible for an updated booster have been at least six months since the last injection – plenty of time for another injection to trigger a good immune response.
But the original formula still provides good protection against serious illness and death, especially the most important first booster after. So it’s not uncommon for young, healthy people to take advantage of a vaccine’s temporary jump in protection against mild infections, as Veri did.
Vary, a healthy 51-year-old, said he postponed the second recommended booster for his seven-month-old baby until late summer, just before an international trip he knew would increase his risk of flawless crowds. Sara
Now, with updated reminders, he plans to be evaluated in four to five months, perhaps when his antibody levels begin to decline and he will plan the holiday celebrations if he benefits from a second vaccine.
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