Timing of Covid Boosters - Max my Protection

[RetireBy90]

We have a trip planned for March outside of US. We have 2 boosters so far, and I expect another booster to be available this fall. So last guidance was a booster 6 months after the last one so we got 2nd booster in April. I want to max my protection in March.

If we get a booster in Oct, 6 months after last one, I'm wondering if we should expect to get another in Feb 2023, only 4 months after Oct. My thinking is a mid Feb booster would give us the most protection in March, given it takes 2 weeks to get protection from the shot.

Anyone else thinking of how to get max protection ? Planning a trip early in 2023 ?

 

[harllee]

No on knows when boosters will come out, what the next variant will be and whether the booster will work on that variant. Personally I am going to take every booster offered me as soon as it is available.

 

[brett]

Planning a snowbird trip to SE Asia in Jan.

I have been advised to expect some sort of a combo shot, flu and covid combined, in the the late fall. Who really knows for certain. We will know when and if we get the shot.

We always get a flu shot. Absolutely no idea if it works. The only thing I know is that neither of us has ever had the flu in the last 15 or so years since we have been taking the shot.

 

[Sojourner]

New boosters formulated to target BA.5 are supposedly coming in September/October.

https://www.axios.com/2022/07/29/biden-administration-covid-booster-shots

I have some international travel planned for late fall/winter, so I'll get the BA.5 booster shot about 4 weeks prior to that, if possible.

 

[Gumby]

We are traveling to Egypt in October. We just got our second booster two weeks ago. I expect the BA.5 specific booster won't be out until after we get back home, so we'll get it then. We'll do what we can, when we can.

 

[Teacher Terry]

I had my booster in October and had Covid in June so I am good for awhile.

 

[Aerides]

We'll do what we can, when we can.

This is my approach to. Get em when they are offered, regardless what else is going on.

Personally I am "up close and personal" with people more during the holidays than I ever am on a vacation - with the exception of sitting in an airplane seat. And for that there are other things I will do as precaution.

 

[euro]

No on knows when boosters will come out, what the next variant will be and whether the booster will work on that variant. Personally I am going to take every booster offered me as soon as it is available.

Same here!

 

[euro]

Planning a snowbird trip to SE Asia in Jan.

I have been advised to expect some sort of a combo shot, flu and covid combined, in the the late fall. Who really knows for certain. We will know when and if we get the shot.

I'm pretty familiar with medicine/vaccine development and a combination shot sounds extremely far fetched to me for clinical as well as practical reasons. An enormous amount of clinical work and development work goes into such combinations, so it would make no sense to go through that much effort in a case where both of the vaccines change pretty much every year. Not feasible. Instead get a pop in the left and one in the right arm.
MMRV (Measles-Mumps-Rubella-Varicella is a very common combination shot but those antigens remain quite constant over the years.

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

An article I read this AM talking about Uncle Sugar buying X number of doses for the fall made mention that the current vaccine is largely useless for BA.5 (except that it's still effective at preventing severe illness so that seems pretty useful to me) much like last year's flu vaccine. I would guess it will become similar to the flu vaccine. Of course, it's really a bunch of hurry up and wait.

 

[Irishgirlyc58]

We have a trip planned for March outside of US. We have 2 boosters so far, and I expect another booster to be available this fall. So last guidance was a booster 6 months after the last one so we got 2nd booster in April. I want to max my protection in March.

If we get a booster in Oct, 6 months after last one, I'm wondering if we should expect to get another in Feb 2023, only 4 months after Oct. My thinking is a mid Feb booster would give us the most protection in March, given it takes 2 weeks to get protection from the shot.

Anyone else thinking of how to get max protection ? Planning a trip early in 2023 ?

I think I would split the difference and do 5/5. So vaccine in September and February.
Assuming the CDC still says must be at least 4 months since your last vaccine booster.

 

[Sanstar]

Vaccinated and boosted x 2 and got a mild case of COVID in June. I’m eligible for another booster in August and am undecided about getting a repeat of the same booster then vs wait until September for an updated version. I’d go ahead with the August shot but if I then have to wait 4 months after that for the updated booster I think it would be better to wait the extra month for the updated version in September.

 

[Scuba]

I read in the WSJ that only 30% of the US over age 50 population has had the second booster. I was surprised it was so low. We had our first booster last fall and the second one in May.

However, I must admit that I’m not clear on the purpose of a booster that doesn’t target the variants that are widely circulating at the time of getting the shot. Perhaps I’m wrong, but I’m guessing that today’s variants will be a distant memory this fall and some new ones will be very contagious by then.

Perhaps someone with more knowledge than I have on this subject can explain the benefits of another shot that targets different variants than what may be common by the time the vaccine is distributed.

 

[Midpack]

New boosters formulated to target BA.5 are supposedly coming in September/October.

https://www.axios.com/2022/07/29/biden-administration-covid-booster-shots

I have some international travel planned for late fall/winter, so I'll get the BA.5 booster shot about 4 weeks prior to that, if possible.

That’s what we’re waiting for. The current booster isn’t very effective against BA.5. We’ve both had two vaccines and one booster, and both had mild Covid for the first time in May, so we may have some natural immunity going for us. Who knows (no one)?

And we’re taking other precautions like wearing masks and avoiding large crowds again. That might be a permanent life change…and it doesn’t impact quality of life at all IMO.

 

[mabuhay]

I'm in the Philippines right now, a smaller city. Got my second booster just before I left on the first of June. I have well-controlled asthma that rarely acts up, otherwise healthy, a cyclist. This past week I caught Covid. The first signs were I started to get wheezing, exacerbated by some smoky air in the area from burning. But this went on for a couple days, getting progressively worse. Hmm.. took a test - first day neg, second day positive for Covid.

The first night when it went from Neg to Pos was the worst, my HR was up at 95 with a 2C fever, but the next day the smoky air cleared out and my symptoms quickly improved. Almost feeling normal now on Day 4, just a little fatigue. Really glad I had as many boosters as I could get and the last just before my trip. You never know what circumstances might be if and when you do get it. I am in an area where there is a small hospital but nothing state of the art.

 

[The Cosmic Avenger]

I read in the WSJ that only 30% of the US over age 50 population has had the second booster. I was surprised it was so low. We had our first booster last fall and the second one in May.

However, I must admit that I’m not clear on the purpose of a booster that doesn’t target the variants that are widely circulating at the time of getting the shot. Perhaps I’m wrong, but I’m guessing that today’s variants will be a distant memory this fall and some new ones will be very contagious by then.

Perhaps someone with more knowledge than I have on this subject can explain the benefits of another shot that targets different variants than what may be common by the time the vaccine is distributed.

The current vaccines still reduce the chance of death and hospitalization with BA5, even though they're not as effective at stopping transmission. The problem is predicting what will be prevalent many months ahead of time has obvious room for error. The flu vaccine has had anywhere from 19-60% effectiveness, for example. But we have a much lower chance than 19% of having a car accident, but we still wear our seatbelts. Sure, there's a chance something bad will happen anyway, but why wouldn't you want to reduce that chance? Generally the chance of a bad outcome (serious adverse side effect) is much lower than the chance the vaccine will protect you against a similarly bad outcome from the disease.

 

[Gumby]

If I already had two shots with no ill effects, why would I be concerned about a third?* So I don't think fear of ill effects from vaccination is the reason at all. Rather, people have busy lives and short attention spans, and simply can't bestir themselves to take time out to go get a booster.


* (It's a rhetorical question; the young wife and I got our second booster two weeks ago and will get more as they come along).

 

[Midpack]

If I already had two shots with no ill effects, why would I be concerned about a third?* So I don't think fear of ill effects from vaccination is the reason at all. Rather, people have busy lives and short attention spans, and simply can't bestir themselves to take time out to go get a booster.


* (It's a rhetorical question; the young wife and I got our second booster two weeks ago and will get more as they come along).

My reason is simply the current booster isn’t very effective versus BA.5. I just watched on doctor on TV say wait until mid Sept when there’s a more effective booster, and that’s what we plan on. Of course BA.6 will probably take over by then…

He also said the pandemic is essentially over and Covid is just another virus we have to watch out for like flu. I think many of us thought that would be the norm eventually.

 

[Aerides]

I read in the WSJ that only 30% of the US over age 50 population has had the second booster. I was surprised it was so low. We had our first booster last fall and the second one in May.

However, I must admit that I’m not clear on the purpose of a booster that doesn’t target the variants that are widely circulating at the time of getting the shot. Perhaps I’m wrong, but I’m guessing that today’s variants will be a distant memory this fall and some new ones will be very contagious by then.

Perhaps someone with more knowledge than I have on this subject can explain the benefits of another shot that targets different variants than what may be common by the time the vaccine is distributed.

I think we'll always be in this lag - the "latest" variant will always outpace the booster that's been in the works for several months. But since they all protect against getting seriously ill, no matter what's circulating in the wild, that's enough benefit for me.

As far as why so many people opted out? Inertia, harder to fit in with busy lives returning to normal, had covid recently, any number of reasons.

For 3 & 4, we weren't as aggressive with finding the first possible appointment as we were with 1 & 2, but still went ahead pretty quickly. I'm in the "doesn't hurt, probably helps" camp. There is no downside for me - I plan a lazy day following the jab, hang out in the pool, order takeout (ok so maybe that's an upside!)

 

[Chuckanut]

I am not a medical guru, but the effectiveness of a vaccine against a particular variant is not binary (it does or doesn't protect. Period.)

For flu shots, some protection exists based upon last year's shot. It's not as good as this year's shot, but better than nothing. Our bodies learn to recognize these bugs and/or similar ones and can still summon protection. Maybe the protection is not as strong and quick, but half a loaf is better than none. Right?

I understand that Covid and the vaccines work in a similar way. But, perhaps I am wrong.

 

[pacergal]

Yep, we will continue to get vaccinated for whatever covid booster is out and available, just like yearly flu shots, doesn't hurt, most likely helps to some degree.

Just like the "flu" shot--doesn't necessarily prevent you from getting influenza, just more likely to keep you out of the hospital with severe symptoms or pneumonia, which can be a deadly disease for elderly.

 

[Midpack]

Yep, we will continue to get vaccinated for whatever covid booster is out and available, just like yearly flu shots, doesn't hurt, most likely helps to some degree.

Just like the "flu" shot--doesn't necessarily prevent you from getting influenza, just more likely to keep you out of the hospital with severe symptoms or pneumonia, which can be a deadly disease for elderly.

We got boosted last October. We plan to get boosted once a year, preferably with annual flu shots in Fall. Or one shot for both, even better.

 

[Rocket Man]

I just tested positive for Covid on a home test this morning. From what I have read, it is most likely BA.5. Yesterday I started having a little runny nose/post nasal drip, a scratchy throat, headache, somewhat fatigued and achy. Friday morning I mowed the yard and worked in the yard so I thought it could just be allergies, which is not unusual for me. This morning I felt the same so I checked my temp and it was fine. We were getting ready to go to church this morning, so not wanting to endanger anyone, I got out the home test kits for the first time and it was definitely positive. Obviously no going to church. I am now in our basement isolating for 5 days and will go from there. DW is okay so far. What I read online this morning is that with the new variants, symptoms show up more quickly, 3 to 5 days after exposure. On Tuesday afternoon I was doing volunteer work at a local food bank. People in and out. Good chance that was the culprit. Hopefully, I will have a mild case!

 

[Rianne]

We got our first booster last October with the flu shot. I got both in the same arm. That arm, where the vaccines went in, still aches. Not all the time, but certain movements are noticeable. I'll get the BA.5 booster but did not get the 2nd booster because of that achiness. I can't get shots in my right arm because of too many lymph nodes removed from surgery.

I read that if the nurse improperly injects the vaccine into the muscle it can create long-term issues with the muscle.

 

[cranberryjoe]

When the second booster became available, I asked my PCP if I should get it right away, or wait until it looks like a surge was starting to maximize my protection during the surge. She said to get it right away, because if enough people would get vaccinated/boosted there might not even be a surge. So I got the booster that day. Doing my part to keep the number of cases down.