4 Questions Answered About COVID-19 Vaccines and Bivalent Boosters, Anderson Cancer Center

you have been vaccinated COVID-19 (new coronavirus infectious disease), is it time for the next booster?What kind of booster should I get and is there an age limit? What if I recently contracted the SARS CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19? flu vaccination seasonCan I get the COVID-19 and flu vaccines at the same time?

Use these answers from the Chief Infection Control Officer Roy Kemmery, M.D.When Ann Klopp, MD, Ph.D.medical director MD Anderson’s COVID-19 vaccine It helps you decide when and how to schedule your vaccination schedule.

Is there a deadline for COVID-19 boosters?

It was recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Updated bivalent formulation Booster dose of Pfizer and Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine in the US This bivalent booster replaces the original formulation of the booster vaccine.

So the bivalent booster is the only booster available for ages 12 and up. (Children aged 5 to her 11 use the original his monovalent booster). The good news is that the updated bivalent booster offers the best available protection against the most prevalent virus in the United States right now. BA.5 Omicron subspecies.

Previous booster recommendations considered advanced age, immunocompromised status, and the recommended time interval between the first and second booster. But these are no longer the case. As long as she is 12 years of age or older, she is eligible to receive a bivalent booster if at least 2 months have passed since her last COVID-19 booster or primary series vaccination.

Can use CDC Schedule to stay updated with your COVID-19 vaccination.

If I recently had COVID-19, should I wait to get vaccinated?

If you recently recovered from COVID-19, the CDC May Consider waiting 3 months for vaccination after the onset of symptoms or after the first positive test if symptoms are absent. This is because reinfection may be less likely for several weeks after infection. However, it depends on individual risk factors such as the risk of severe illness if reinfected, his level of COVID-19 in the community, and the contagiousness of his current COVID-19 variant causing the infection. .

We recommend following CDC guidelines for vaccinations. moderate or severe immunodeficiency.

Is it better to get an additional primary dose or booster?

Additional primaries and boosters are not interchangeable for COVID-19 vaccines. People with moderate or severe immunodeficiency should additional primary dose As part of a primary vaccine series. This dose should be administered within a few weeks of his second dose of the primary series, depending on the vaccine product received (such as Pfizer or Moderna). As this is part of the primary series, it is the same monovalent vaccine formulation as his first two doses of the primary series.

Conversely, all COVID-19 booster vaccinations now use updated bivalent formulations of Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccines. Therefore, if you need a booster, get the bivalent COVID-19 vaccine regardless of whether you have had a booster before.

follow the CDC COVID-19 vaccination schedule To know when you are eligible for your next dose or to use the CDC booster tool You can know when the first or next booster is due. If you are moderately or severely immunocompromised, be sure to check with the CDC. Specific vaccine booster recommendations for you.

Can I get the COVID-19 and flu vaccines at the same time?

yes. However, it also depends on your personal situation. For most people CDC says it’s safe You can get your COVID-19 and flu shots at the same time as long as the injections are at least an inch apart.

However, there are additional considerations for people receiving the COVID-19 vaccine and other types of vaccines, such as those to protect against monkeypox. Also, some community pharmacies are asking immunocompromised people to give COVID-19 and flu vaccines several weeks apart to support the immune system’s response to vaccination. I’m looking for

if you are a patient MD Andersonyou can schedule your COVID-19 vaccine via MyChart.

Related article