The COVID-19 pandemic has been affecting the world for over three years now. The end may be nearing soon since worldwide vaccination efforts have helped successfully decreased infections and prevented more serious cases and hospitalizations.
Aside from the initial COVID-19 vaccine doses, additional booster shots are given to decrease the risk of a severe COVID-19 infection. But some are still undecided whether they should get a second booster shot immediately or wait until another COVID-19 surge or when a new variant arises.
The likelihood of contracting COVID-19 increases when the immunity provided by the previous vaccines starts to wane four months after the last dose. The second booster shot refreshes your body’s immunity against the virus, making it less likely for you to catch and infect others with the COVID-19 virus.
According to an interview conducted by the OSF Healthcare with the vice president of Pharmacy Operations, Sandy Salverson, “Getting booster shots is important because the body’s immune system needs additional doses to reach the level of immunity that best protects you from severe illness or hospitalization.”
Things to consider when getting a second booster shot
People who got their 1st booster shot are still up to date with their vaccines and the decision to get a second booster shot immediately is a personal decision. Here are some of the things to think about when you are deciding to get a second booster shot:
1. Are you living with vulnerable or immunocompromised people like the elderly or people with autoimmune diseases? 2. Are you at-risk yourself? Do you have any health-related concerns that put you at higher risk for severe illnesses? 3. Are you planning on visiting places with a high infection rate? 4. Are you living in a highly-populated area that has a high infection rate?
Who can currently get the second booster shot?
Those eligible for a second booster are:
1. Adults who are over the age of 50 2. Immunocompromised individuals aged 12 and older 3. Adults ages 18 to 49 who received the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine for their primary shot and initial booster dose.
You can choose to delay your second booster shot. However, experts still recommend that you get your second booster shot right away, especially for high-risk individuals.
