On September 24th, 2021 the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) announced that certain adult populations and those living or working in high risk occupational and institutional settings should receive a COVID-19 booster shot.
The booster shot should be given to individuals that have already received their 2-dose COVID-19 Pfizer vaccine.
What is a booster shot and why is it needed?
Although the original COVID-19 vaccinations continue to provide a good level of protection against serious illness with COVID-19, studies show that over time, the level of protection begins to decline. This is especially true with the presence of the delta variant. A booster shot is meant to boost the body’s baseline level of protection against the COVID-19 virus.
Who is eligible to receive the booster shot?
The following is the eligibility criteria to receive the booster shot.
- Individuals that have already received their 2 doses of a Pfizer COVID-19 mRNA vaccine (those who received initial vaccination with Moderna or Johnson & Johnson are not yet eligible).
- The time between the last vaccine dose and the booster shot is at least 6 months.
- Those who fall under one or more of the following categories:
- People aged 65 years and older
- People aged 18 years and older who have underlying medical conditions (ie cancer, COPD or diabetes).
- People aged 18 and older who work in high-risk settings (ie. care home workers, first responders, educational staff, manufacturing workers, grocery store workers etc)
- People aged 18 years and older who live in high-risk settings such as care homes.
A full list of underlying medical conditions as per the CDC is provided here: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/need-extra-precautions/people-with-medical-conditions.html
A list of some of these high-risk settings and occupations are provided by the CDC here: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/booster-shot.html#HighRisk
What are the benefits of the booster shot?
It is natural for the effectiveness of a vaccine to reduce over time. The same is true for the COVID-19 vaccine. At this point, health officials have concluded that a booster shot to those eligible groups will maximize their vaccine-induced protection against severe illness, hospitalization and death if infected with COVID-19.
What are the side effects of the booster shot?
So far, reactions reported after getting the Pfizer booster shot were similar to that of the two initial Pfizer vaccines. This includes fatigue and pain at the injection site.
The side effects that have been reported were mild to moderate. However, as with the initial vaccines, serious side effects are rare, but may occur. If you have any concerns about the possible side effects of this booster, be sure to speak to your healthcare provider.
Who should not receive the booster shot?
Those who received a Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccination are not eligible to receive the Pfizer booster shot.
At present, research and safety assessment of the booster shot has only been carried out on those who have been vaccinated with the COVID-19 Pfizer vaccine. Updates to a change in this status will be made with any future CDC announcements.
What if I received the first two Pfizer doses but do not want the booster shot?
If you have received your full 2-dose series, you will still continue to have a high level of protection against serious illness if you contract COVID-19. As with many vaccines, the protection provided naturally begins to decrease over time. The COVID-19 vaccine is no different. So although the booster is strongly recommended, it is not mandatory.
References
- https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/booster-shot.html
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