Are you confused about which COVID booster to get? This guide will help you.

Is it time to take the next dose?

U.S. health authorities expanded who they are Eligible to take COVID-19 booster shots.. Currently, it is recommended that older people over the age of 65, and adults with immunodeficiency and those working in high-risk environments, receive booster 6 months after receiving the 2-shot Pfizer or Moderna vaccine. ..

However, anyone who receives the Johnson & Johnson one-shot vaccine will need to receive another booster two months after the initial dose.

Messed up? you are not alone.

As science understands COVID-19, tools and advice for virus protection will be developed. However, it can cause confusion for patients, said Dr. Paul Nanda, a family doctor at Tampa General Hospital.

“[Patients]are seeing the evolution of the scientific method in progress,” Nanda said.

As researchers continue to develop new and better ways to protect the community, the best thing people can do to eliminate confusion is the best and most up-to-date COVID-19 guidelines for doctors and public health professionals. To rely on the house.

Here are the latest guidelines on who, when, and which booster shots should be taken:

Why do you need a booster shot?

Dr. Nishiant Anand, Chief Medical Officer at BayCare, states that the effectiveness of the vaccine declines over time.

Taking a booster shot when qualified will strengthen your immunity to the virus and help protect you from future strains.

Who can get the booster when?

Immunity with the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine begins to decline 6 months after the initial dose.

If you get either vaccine The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that it is eligible to obtain a booster if::

• You are over 65 years old.
• You are 18 years of age or older and have an underlying medical condition or work in a high-risk environment.

According to the CDC, workers at high risk of becoming infected with COVID-19 include first responders, teachers, day care workers, US Postal Service employees, public transport staff, grocery store employees, food and Includes agricultural workers and corrective workers.

What if I shoot Johnson & Johnson?

The one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine becomes less effective over time compared to the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine.

NS CDC is recommended People who receive this vaccine should receive booster immunization 2 months after the first dose.

Do Booster Shots Have Side Effects?

It depends on the individual, Anand said. Side effects range from low-grade fever, mild arm pain, headache, malaise to asymptomatic.

of Study of 306 participants, The CDC found that the side effects of Pfizer booster shots largely reflected the experience of the second dose of Pfizer vaccine.

The side effects of the vaccine are unpleasant and inconvenient, but Anand said it wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.

“Symptoms are a way to know that your body is building an immune response against the coronavirus,” he said.

Is boost immunity available for all three US-approved vaccines?

Yes.

What is the best booster for Pfizer vaccines?

You can get the same vaccine as the first dose approved by the CDC in October, or you can mix and match (you can also get a booster immunity that is different from the original vaccine).

Recent reports show that when Pfizer vaccine is given, the Pfizer vaccine or the modelna vaccine also responds similarly strongly. National Institutes of Health research..

What is the best booster for the Moderna vaccine?

Studies have shown that after the Moderna vaccine, Pfizer or the Moderna booster is the best choice.

What are the best boosters for Johnson & Johnson Vaccines?

Studies show that Johnson & Johnson shots are ideally followed by either an mRNA vaccine, Pfizer, or Moderna.

Can vaccines be mixed and combined? Is it important which booster you get?

NS CDC’s latest recommendations Allows vaccine mixing.

Most importantly, getting a booster (one of the three) is enough to boost immunity and provide protection from future strains, Anand said. rice field. They are all safe and effective boosters.

“The most important thing is to get out and get a booster,” Anand said.

I received three doses of vaccine. Do you need a booster?

According to the CDC, if you have moderate to severe immunodeficiency and have already been vaccinated three times, you may receive a boost at least 6 months after the boost. It is a total of 4 doses.

People with immunodeficiency who have questions about additional doses or booster immunity should consult their doctor to discuss their particular health condition.

Are booster shots and dosages different from the original vaccine?

The booster prescription is the same as the original vaccine. According to the CDC, in the case of Moderna, the booster is half the dose of the shots received in the first series.

The dosage remains the same for Pfizer and J & J.

Do I need a booster to be considered fully vaccinated?

According to the CDC, two weeks after receiving both the Pfizer and Modena vaccines or a single J & J vaccination, they will continue to be considered fully vaccinated.

After vaccination, I became infected with COVID. Do you still need a booster?

Preliminary data suggest that vaccinated people who have recovered from COVID-19 will gain additional protection, or “hyperimmunity,” Anand said.

However, doctors recommend that people with immunodeficiency and those over the age of 65 get a booster to ensure the strongest immune response to COVID-19.

Do boosters protect from delta variants? What about future variants?

Booster shots protect people from delta variants. And as more people in the community get vaccinated, Anand said it is less likely that new variants will emerge and become resistant to the vaccine.

Do you need another booster in the future?

That’s possible, Anand said.

The pandemic is still going on and the virus may continue to spread. Experts expect the coronavirus to evolve into endemic disease. In endemic disease, the virus remains present in society, but the spread of the disease is suppressed.

For example, malaria is endemic in parts of Africa and South America. Seasonal flu, or flu, is also endemic. Anand said he is likely to need COVID-19 shots each year to protect us from the virus, much like we get the flu vaccine every year.

“This is what we learn to live with, because our bodies learn to repel it and it never gets sick,” said the doctor.

Can I get a flu shot and the first vaccination (or booster) at the same time?

Yes. Infection with one virus weakens the immune system and can make someone vulnerable to the other virus. Therefore, get both vaccines to protect yourself from both viruses, and at the same time, if convenient.

now Children 5-11 years are eligible for vaccination, They can also get both COVID-19 and flu shots.

I’m still hesitant to get the COVID-19 vaccine. Is it safe?

Yes. According to Nanda, of the more than 1 billion COVID-19 vaccines administered worldwide, there are “very, very, very few” cases with serious vaccine complications. The bigger threat is COVID-19 itself. More than 753,000 people have died from the virus in the United States alone. In Florida The death toll is currently over 60,000..

Nanda said she had obtained the Pfizer vaccine and booster shots as soon as she was qualified. His doctor said he works in a high-risk environment to treat patients with COVID-19, but his health is a testament to the effectiveness of vaccines and masks.

“I’ve been screening, treating, or watching COVID every day, all day for 18 months, but I haven’t got COVID yet,” he said.

How can I get vaccinated?

COVID-19 vaccines over the age of 5 are given in clinics, clinics, pharmacies, grocery stores and public vaccination sites. In many cases, you can book your reservation online. Here’s how to find a site near you.

Find a site: visit Vaccine.gov To find a vaccination site by zip code.

Other help: Call the National COVID-19 Vaccination Support Hotline.

phone: 800-232-0233. Help is available in English, Spanish, and other languages.

TTY: 888-720-7489

Disability information and access lines: Call 888-677-1199 or email us [email protected]..

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