Key Takeaways:
- Upon completion of their term of isolation, COVID-19 patients can receive their booster dose.
- Your defences against the Omicron variety are boosted by additional dosages.
- Even after receiving COVID-19, it’s crucial to receive the booster dose because innate immunity isn’t always dependable.
The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate that 38.7% of Americans who are completely immunised have now received their third or booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Although the existing immunisations are still effective against the Omicron variant, this protection deteriorates over time, underscoring the importance of booster doses for those who have already had their initial vaccinations. You can already obtain your booster dosage if it has been five months since the end of your initial vaccination series with the two-dose mRNA vaccinations or two months since you received your single dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. To obtain your booster shot, you must hold off if you got COVID-19. To maximize your protection against the disease, specialists advise having a booster shot even if you have already been exposed.
Why do you need a booster dose after getting COVID?
- Even if you previously had COVID-19, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) recommends having a booster to help protect you against emerging strains of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
- According to Michael Bauer, MD, a paediatrician at Lake Forest Paediatric Associates, “I always like to remind people what the word ‘booster’ means.” “It reminds your immune system to rev up again [to produce more antibodies].”
- Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, SARS-CoV-2 has developed into numerous distinct forms. For instance, in November 2021, the Omicron variety started to dominate. There are a number of Omicron subvariants, and specialists predict that the virus will keep developing.
- You are better protected against new subvariants if you receive booster doses of your COVID-19 vaccine on a regular basis.
- For instance, in addition to the original SARS-CoV-2.5 Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, the bivalent booster also targets Omicron subvariants.
- Keep your COVID-19 vaccinations, including boosters, up to date. persons who previously had COVID-19 and do not receive a booster are more likely to contract the illness again than other persons, according to the CDC.
How long after getting COVID can you get the booster?
- The CDC advises delaying a booster until after your period of isolation has ended. If you get a booster when you’re ill, you run the risk of exposing medical personnel and other people to COVID-19.
- If you test positive for COVID-19, the CDC advises you to isolate for at least five days, starting on the day that your symptoms start.
- If you haven’t had a fever in at least 24 hours without taking a fever reducer or don’t have any symptoms, you can end your five-day isolation period. Wear a high-quality mask until day 11 and stay away from anyone who may become very ill from COVID-19.
- If you have moderate symptoms, the CDC advises isolation for at least 10 days. If you have severe symptoms or a compromised immune system, talk to your doctor about when to finish your isolation time.
When is the best time to get the booster?
- The strongest defence against COVID-19 is a booster shot, according to the CDC, given three months after infection.
- If you received monoclonal antibody therapy, you will not need to wait 90 days before receiving a vaccine or booster. The likelihood of immediate reinfection is low.
- According to a study released in 2021, the likelihood of contracting COVID-19 again within 90 days is incredibly low. That happens because people produce antibodies to aid in the defence against the virus.
- If you have a high risk of developing a serious COVID-19 sickness, you have close contacts or a loved one who does, or you live in an area where there is a high COVID-19 hospital admission level, you should think about obtaining a booster as soon as you can after contracting the disease.
Who should receive the booster dose?
Anyone above the age of six months is eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, including a booster shot. Depending on your first vaccination series and the interval since your previous dose, you may need a booster shot. Your age and general health may also be factors. The CDC recommends the following number of booster doses to stay up-to-date
- Children from birth until age 4: Depending on how many and what kind of booster dosages (such as Moderna or Pfizer) they have gotten, they may need several booster doses.
- Persons over the age of five: One dose of the modernised Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech vaccination for COVID-19
- Immune system weakened individuals: Possibility of receiving more doses of the improved COVID-19 vaccine.
What does this mean for you?
The SARS-CoV-2 virus is still changing and creating new variations that could lead to reinfection. Even if you’ve already tested positive for COVID-19, it’s crucial to stay up-to-date on your vaccinations and boosters. The use of vaccinations can help shield you from serious illness, hospitalisation, and even death. People who previously had COVID-19 and do not receive a vaccine or booster within 90 days of infection are more likely than others to contract COVID-19 once more, according to the CDC. If it has been three months since your last dose of COVID-19, talk to your doctor about getting a booster dose.
