Where can I get boosters? Can you combine them?Experts Answer COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Questions | Health Care

If you haven’t been vaccinated yet, or if you’re qualified and haven’t received a booster yet, experts say it’s time to do so to strengthen your protection in time for your vacation. say.

“It’s a good time,” said Dr. Morgan McDonald, Deputy Director of Population Health at the Tennessee Department of Health. “And now is the best time. Certainly, for those who haven’t been vaccinated yet, they need to be vaccinated to protect themselves and their families before they go on vacation. Similarly. If you are qualified as a booster, get a booster before you have more contact with your loved ones. “

Jamie Swift, Chief Infection Prevention Officer at Ballad Health, recommended that those who have not yet been vaccinated do so.

“When we go on vacation, if you haven’t been vaccinated yet, now is the time,” Swift said. “Thanksgiving doesn’t give you full protection, but it’s very important to move on, as Christmas can definitely protect you at this point. If you’re vaccinated today, than you. Will also be fully protected, if not vaccinated.

Even if you are already infected with COVID-19, vaccine protection is better than innate immunity from an infection that declines over time.

the study Also, those who were previously infected with COVID-19 and subsequently vaccinated had significantly higher antibodies than those who were not vaccinated or who were vaccinated but not previously infected. is showing.

“Even if you have a history of infection or a history of COVID, you still have to go ahead and get the vaccine,” Swift said.

Hospitalizations have been declining due to the record summer surge in northeastern Tennessee, but at Ballard Hospital, more than 160 people are currently hospitalized with COVID-19 and remain high. And as the virus is still circulating in the community as a holiday approach, Swift said it is important to be vaccinated to avoid yet another surge, but cases will increase in the coming months. She said it was likely.

“At this point, many people say they are either infected with COVID and not vaccinated, or they are infected with COVID and vaccinated and have a very mild illness,” Swift said. Says. .. “So it’s really important to get that vaccine. We want to reach the point where we can have a very small number.

“What we don’t want to do is give up all the precautions, and then suddenly we start to see the numbers increase, increase, and continue to increase again,” Swift said. Says.

Do you have questions about booster shots?

Who is the target of the booster?

People aged 65 and over who have been vaccinated twice with the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccine are similar to those aged 18 and over who have an underlying disorder, live in, live in, or work in a long-term care environment. Is eligible for booster immunization. High risk setting. It also applies to those who have received the Johnson & Johnson one-shot vaccine.

For more information on Booster Shot eligibility, please visit the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. ..

Can I get a booster that is different from the original vaccine I got?

Yes. In fact, depending on the first vaccine you receive, mixing booster doses may be more convenient and more prophylactic, especially if you’ve been vaccinated with Johnson & Johnson.

Last month, the National Institutes of Health published the results of a study examining the antibody response of people who received boost immunization with the same vaccine or switched to a new vaccine.

In this study of 458 people, getting vaccine boosters from another manufacturer is certainly safe, especially among those who received Johnson & Johnson vaccines with elevated antibody levels. It turns out that it has the potential to produce. Significantly when receiving one of the mRNA vaccines as a booster.

“If you get J & J … you have the J & J booster at your disposal. That’s fine,” says Swift. “Especially J & J people seem to have some benefit from getting boosters at either of these mRNA doses, either in Pfizer or Modana.”

McDonald’s said it’s okay to use another brand for the booster effect, and the recommended people get the shots that are most convenient for them.

I was completely vaccinated and had a breakthrough infection. Do you still need a booster?

There is no clear data on this, but experts say getting a booster is harmless. “In general, vaccination is not harmful, it is beneficial,” McDonald’s said, although there is not much data on when people with breakthrough infections should get boosters.

Where can I get booster shots?

Booster shots are widely available throughout the region and you can find the site closest to you Vaccine.gov.. Reservations are not required in many places, such as Ballad’s Community Vaccination Center in Johnson City Mall.

Download the JOHNSON CITY PRESS app for the latest updates and updates