Center for Evidence to Practice working to improve behavioral health

By DR. MARTHA WHYTE | OPH Region 7
Medical Director

Since
COVID-19 vaccines first became available in December 2020, we have seen
occasional changes in the vaccination guidelines provided by the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Following the availability of and
recommendation for the first series of vaccinations, boosters have been
recommended for those who are eligible. Now, there is a general push for a second
Pfizer-BioNTech (Comirnaty) or Moderna (Spikevax) booster shot.

With
the second booster shot, many Americans are currently asking when to get it,
who should get it and how beneficial it is.

When
to get it?

For
most individuals to be considered fully vaccinated, they must have received
their initial round of primary vaccines and their first booster shot. CDC says
guidelines remain relatively the same for most Americans, but recommendations
have changed, based on age, immune status and type of original vaccine received.

Timing
is important for second boosters — at least four months after the first booster
shot was administered. Those who received the J&J vaccine must wait at
least four months from receiving their primary dose and booster.

Who
should get it?

Health
officials are now recommending the second coronavirus booster shot for:

• Those who are age 50 or older
• Individuals ages 12 and up who are moderately or severely immunocompromised (Pfizer only for ages 12-17)
• Those with two doses (one primary and one booster) of Johnson & Johnson’s (J&J) Janssen vaccine.

How beneficial is it?

Recent
research shows that during the Omicron surge, those who were boosted were 7
times less likely to be hospitalized and 21 times less likely to die from COVID-19
as compared to unvaccinated individuals.

The
average American desires to remain healthy and help keep their loved ones
healthy as well. Factors that may affect the choice of a second booster shot include
the greater risk for severe disease from COVID-19, the concern over giving
COVID-19 to someone close who is immunocompromised, or greater risk of exposure
to COVID-19.

Second
boosters are meant to prevent hospitalizations. However, as with any vaccine, the
second booster shot has a relative effective time in the body. It is not an
end-all to complete protection against COVID-19. The series of vaccines and the
second booster help to build immunity against infection and protect the
individual for the life of the vaccine.

The
choice of whether to receive a second booster shot, ultimately, is left up to
the individual and their medical professional.

Future
important life events and recent COVID-19 diagnoses are just two reasons that
some individuals may choose to wait to receiving a second dose. Other factors
include daily schedule constraints and the general thought of overall health
being good and already adequately vaccinated.

If
you are in a group listed above that is eligible for the second booster, or you
know of someone who is, talk to your doctor. To book your free second booster
or schedule an in-home vaccination, call 1-855-453-0774 or visit vaccines.gov. Find
pertinent information around the second booster shot and other COVID-19 updates
at www.cdc.gov.