Omicron variant: Don’t wait to get a booster dose, doctors say

The World Health Organization says it is reasonable to believe that vaccines will provide some protection against omicron. Boost shots also help combat other variants.

The World Health Organization (WHO) on November 26 identified a new type of COVID-19, called omicron, which is a variant of concern. Omicron has been classified as a variant of concern because preliminary evidence suggests that it may reinfect people more easily than other variants, according to the World Health Organization.

After the omicron variant concern was announced, Google searches in the US went up for “omicron booster”. Although little is currently known about the omicron variant, President Joe Biden and other government officials have urged people to get vaccinated or get a booster dose of authorized COVID-19 vaccines.

But people have asked on social media if they should get a booster shot as soon as they are eligible or wait until they know the booster shot will protect against the omicron variant.

the question

Should you wait to get a booster dose of a COVID-19 vaccine that’s proven effective against the omicron variant?

Sources

the answer

No, you should not wait to get a proven COVID-19 booster vaccine against the omicron variant. Health organizations and doctors say you should get a booster shot as soon as you qualify.

what we found

The omicron variant was first reported to the World Health Organization on November 24 by South Africa. However, the origin of the variant is currently unknown. The World Health Organization said the first confirmed infection was from a sample taken on November 9.

Much remains unknown about the variant, including how well the currently authorized COVID-19 vaccines will protect against it. But the World Health Organization says, “It is reasonable to assume that currently available vaccines provide some protection against severe disease and death.”

As part of public health strategies aimed at preventing the spread of the omicron variant, the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advise people to get vaccinated or get a booster dose. The CDC on November 29 reinforced its recommendation for a booster injection in response to the omicron variant, saying that all adults who have received a second Pfizer or Moderna dose at least six months before or have received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine at least two months before should get on a booster dose.

Dr. Dan Vagboy, an emergency physician and former public health appointee in the Obama administration, said people should get vaccinated now to beat the omicron variant before it spreads widely.

“Go ahead and get a booster shot,” Vagboye said. “And for those who have not received the initial series of the vaccine, go ahead and get it now. You are not waiting for an omicron variant.”

Getting the vaccine or a booster dose likely now protects against the omicron variant, but also protects against the delta variant, which remains the dominant COVID-19 strain in the United States, says Dr. Saralyn Mark, COVID-19 leader for the American Medical Women’s Association.

“We can’t wait to have an Omicron on our shores, maybe here, before we start working because we have a delta here now,” Mark said. “Get your booster shots now if you are medically able to do so.”

Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson said they will test their vaccines against the omicron variant and, if necessary, develop a vaccine specific to the omicron. Moderna and Pfizer said the development process could take about three months.

What makes the omicron variant so worrisome is that it contains a large number of mutations, some of which have yet to be seen, Mark said. The World Health Organization says there are 26-32 mutations in the spike protein, which is part of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that binds to cells.

Preliminary evidence suggests that some of these mutations may be linked to a higher rate of transmission, according to the World Health Organization, but this has yet to be confirmed. It’s also not yet known if the Omicron variant causes a more serious infection. Studies are underway to try to answer these questions.

The World Health Organization says there is a “high” probability that the omicron variant will spread worldwide.

The European Center for Disease Control and Prevention said on November 30 that in addition to South Africa, the omicron variant has been reported in 13 European countries – Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Portugal. and Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom – plus Australia, Botswana, Canada, Hong Kong, Israel and Japan. The CDC has not yet reported a case of COVID-19 with an omicron variant in the United States

Fagbuyi said the public health precautions that millions of Americans have taken throughout the pandemic remain the best protection against any variant of COVID-19, omicron included.

“Nothing beats a vaccine and social distancing,” he said.

Further verification: No, vaccines cannot cause COVID-19 or create new variants

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