5 Things You Should Know About Covid-19 Booster Shots

“From today, if six months have passed since the last dose of the Pfizer vaccine, and you fall into one of the three high-risk groups, you are eligible for a booster,” said Dr. Bibekmercy, a US surgeon. Told to. Friday 19 briefing.

“First: You are over 65 years old. Second: You have a high risk of serious illness in Covid, these conditions include obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, chronic kidney disease, etc. And third: You work or live in an environment that is at high risk of being exposed to Covid. This includes health care workers, teachers, people living in shelters and prisons, and grocery store labor. Includes. “

CDC’s Dr. Kathleen Dooling told the Immunization Implementation Advisory Board earlier this week that there are a wide variety of people who may be in high-risk groups. “A fully vaccinated person with an underlying disorder may be at risk for severe COVID-19 if infected with SARS-CoV-2,” she said. They include cancer, stroke, chronic kidney disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or COPD, diabetes, heart disease, obesity, pregnancy and smoking.

White House Covid-19 Coordinator Jeff Zients said that up to 20 million Americans currently fall into these categories.

When and where can I get it?

People are already starting to get booster shots.

Zyentz said the supply was ample and people should have access to boosters at pharmacies, clinics, and sometimes mass vaccination sites.

“Boosters are free for anyone, regardless of immigrant or health insurance status. No ID or insurance is required,” he said Friday.

“And working closely with partners such as governors, pharmacies, doctors, long-term care facilities, and other providers, qualified Americans can get booster shots at approximately 80,000 locations across the country, including over 40,000 local pharmacies. I did it, “said Zients. Added.

“The CDC has contacted tens of thousands of nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and other high-risk environments to make sure they are ready,” he said.

“Colorado has nine mobile vaccination clinics ready to go to deliver boosters to where people are, and will double that number to 18 in the coming weeks.”

He said Colorado, New York, Ohio, and other states have large immunization centers on demand.

What about everyone else, including those who have been vaccinated with Moderna or Johnson & Johnson?

The FDA and CDC will continue to consider expanding recommendations on who should and can get booster shots. Moderna has asked the FDA to consider boost immunization for vaccinated people. Johnson & Johnson has not applied yet.

Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the CDC, said her agency responded swiftly to the FDA’s recommendations to Pfizer vaccine recipients.

“With similar urgency, we will evaluate the data available in the coming weeks and quickly make additional recommendations for other populations at risk and for those who have been vaccinated with Moderna and J & J.” She told the briefing on Friday.

Mercy made a similar promise.

“I want to talk directly to Moderna and the people who received the J & J,” Mercy told the briefing.

“Your health is just as important as any other vaccinated person. We also want your protection against Covid to be strong and reliable, so the FDA will work with Moderna and J & J to get the data as soon as possible. We are aiming to make booster recommendations for Moderna and J & J recipients in the coming weeks. This is a high priority and a high priority. “

Why do people need them?

Ruth Link-Gellez of the CDC, who heads the CDC’s vaccine efficacy team, said on Friday that the protection provided by the Covid-19 vaccine appears to diminish over time, especially for people over the age of 65.

She reviewed a series of studies examining the overall efficacy of vaccines in different groups from February to August, both of which were similar for Pfizer and Moderna vaccines made using mRNA. I found a pattern. Efficacy began to decline months after people were completely vaccinated. This is defined as 2 weeks after the second inoculation of either vaccine.

“Individuals over the age of 65 have seen a significant reduction in VE (vaccine efficacy) against infection of mRNA products during the delta period,” Link-Gelles told the CDC Vaccine Advisor last week.

“Also, especially in Pfizer, there was a decline over the age of 65, but not in the younger population. Finally, there is evidence that VE has declined for hospitalization during the Delta period,” she said. Told.

A study of eight 4,000 healthcare workers, first responders, and other front-line workers tested weekly regardless of symptoms found that vaccine protection against infections ranged from 91% before delta to during delta. It dropped to 66% of.

A study called IVY examined adults hospitalized in 18 states between March and August. The effectiveness of Pfizer’s vaccine decreased from 91% 14-120 days after complete vaccination to 77% more than 3 months after complete vaccination. The effectiveness of the Moderna vaccine did not actually diminish, with only 92% or 93% in the study.

Pfizer’s research shows that the booster effect restores people’s immunity to the state immediately after taking the second shot, or even higher levels.

Need a doctor’s note?

No. People are required to “self-certify” the eligibility of booster vaccines.

But people shouldn’t cheat-especially waiting six months or so before getting a booster, said Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Infectious Diseases.

This is because a longer period between prime (the first dose of the vaccine) and boost helps the immune system mature. The longer you wait, the better your immune response.

“If you allow the immune response to mature over a period of months, you get far more bangs from the shot, so to speak, fortifying your antibodies,” he said.