The University Of Utah: Do You Need A COVID-19 Booster?

Press release from The University of Utah:

University of Utah Health

October 29, 2021

There is a lot of information in the news right now about COVID-19 booster shots. We want to clear up misconceptions and confusion around these shots and discuss why public health officials are recommending them now. We’ll also talk about who should get a booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine for better protection against infection.

Understanding COVID booster shots

A “booster shot” is not something unique to COVID-19. In fact, booster shots are common for many of the vaccines that doctors and health officials recommend for everyone. The most common booster shots people get are annual flu vaccines and boosters for Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis) every 10 years.

Similar to the rationale behind giving boosters for those illnesses, COVID booster shots can help your body maintain a higher level of immunity and protection against breakthrough COVID infections. A breakthrough infection occurs when someone who is fully vaccinated gets COVID-19. That person can still get sick—though most vaccinated people will have milder symptoms—and they can spread COVID-19 to others.

Who is eligible for COVID booster shots?

Booster vaccines are available right now, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is not recommending them for everyone currently. Eligible individuals may “mix and match” the vaccines, meaning they may choose any of the three COVID-19 vaccines authorized in the U.S. to receive as a booster dose.

Booster shots are recommended for people aged 18 and older who received a Johnson & Johnson vaccine at least two months ago.

There are also certain groups that may get a booster shot if it has been at least six months or longer since their second dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccine. These include:

• Adults 65 and older.
• Adults 18 and older who live in long-term care settings, such as a skilled nursing or assisted living facility, or residential housing for people with disabilities.
• Adults 18 and older with underlying medical conditions that put you at higher risk for COVID complications, such as cancer, diabetes or a weakened immune system.
• Adults 18 and older who work in a high-risk setting, such as first responders, educators or grocery store workers.

Additional doses of the vaccine are also recommended for people who are moderately to severely immunocompromised because these individuals are especially vulnerable to COVID-19. Technically, this dose is considered part of the primary vaccine series, and is not a booster dose since this shot helps people with these conditions to build the same level of immunity as a two-dose vaccine series.

The rationale for COVID-19 booster doses

On Sept. 25, 2021, the CDC issued the first set of guidelines on who may get a booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. This came after public health officials looked at data from other countries where people got a booster dose several months after their primary vaccine series.

• The most extensive study on COVID booster shots came from Israel, where the government administered a booster shot to almost all adults. Researchers evaluated 1.1 million people over the age of 60 who got a booster. After 12 days, those people were almost 20 times less likely to test positive for COVID-19 and have severe symptoms than people who did not get a booster shot.
• Currently available data suggests that immunity against COVID-19 goes down over time and a booster shot can help your body stay protected longer.

Understanding COVID booster shots Who is eligible for COVID booster shots? six months The rationale for COVID-19 booster doses vaccines.gov

You can find more information about COVID booster shots and older adults from our physicians at University of Utah Health by watching a video of our Facebook Live broadcast.

This press release was produced by The University of Utah. The views expressed here are the author’s own.