If you are not one of these 7.6 million Americans Those of you who have received the updated omicron-specific Covid booster, you may still be debating an important question: When should I get it?
Experts say most people should get a new booster shot as soon as possible – especially before the late fall and winter months, when cases are expected to increase. Last year, cases started rise In November, the cold, dry weather makes it easier for the virus to spread. They skyrocketed at the end of the year, reaching peak around mid-January.
The vaccine’s protection gradually increases within two or three weeks of vaccination: If you get the vaccine on October 1, you can maybe expect its defenses to be completed by the middle or end of the month. That protection usually lasts about three or four months before it begins to wane.
It’s useful knowledge – but even so, there’s no single perfect date to book your booster appointment. It depends on when you were last vaccinated against Covid, how recently you were infected with Covid, and whether you are at high risk for severe illness from the virus.
Here’s what you need to know:
If you have not had a Covid infection or a vaccine in recent months
If you are a healthy, normal American who has not recently had a Covid shot or received an older version of the vaccine, the White House Covid response coordinator Dr. Ashish Jha says you should set a Halloween deadline for your new booster.
“Why Halloween? Because three weeks after Halloween it’s Thanksgiving, and there’s a lot of travel, you meet family and friends – and a few weeks later, it’s the holiday,” Jha said. In Bubbles with Andy Slavitt” podcast earlier this month.
Pfizer is authorized to use reformatted footage for persons 12 years of age and older. Moderna’s new footage is intended for people 18 and older.
If you feel any side Effects from the new booster, they will likely be familiar ones – similar to your previous Covid vaccine experience. Consider taking some time off the day after your booster appointment to stay home and rest, just in case any side effects affect you.
You can schedule an appointment for Friday or Saturday, spending at least a weekend recuperating, if you’re worried about missing any work.
Its Safe to get your flu shot at the same time like your Covid booster. But if you can afford to wait, experts recommend just getting your booster shot first — and waiting to get your flu shot in late October or early November.
If you have had Covid within the past three months
CDC Advisor Speak you should consider waiting three months after testing negative before injecting a new booster.
Learn have shown that waiting a few months after infection to get vaccinated can lead to a stronger immune response from the shot, CDC website speak. The agency added that newly infected people also have a lower risk of infection.
If you have had a Covid vaccine within the past two months
To qualify for new footage, CDC indicate you need to complete your primary immunizations and be at least two months away from your last dose of Covid vaccine. That includes older versions of the Covid booster shot: If you just got a boost in September, you’ll need to wait until November to get your new booster.
The two-month period ensures you’re getting the most out of the protection you’ve had from the previous dose and increases your chances of protecting yourself from serious illness and deeper winter hospitalizations.
If you are elderly, immunocompromised or at high risk of severe Covid-19
