BREAKING: CDC now says ALL adults should get boosters! Which one should you get?
The science supports booster doses for all adults.
In some breaking news, the CDC updated its guidance on booster shots, now saying that ALL adults should get a COVID vaccine booster dose! This is a change from their prior position, which was all adults “may” get a booster.
If you remember, just a about a week ago the FDA had gone ahead and approved booster shots for ALL adults in the United States. Previously, both the FDA and CDC had approved it only for those over 65+, those with significant underlying medical conditions and those in high-risk occupations (e.g. healthcare workers). However, once the FDA cleared the route for boosters for ALL adults, the CDC had initially only gone only so far as to suggest all adults “may” get a booster. This news today of the CDC upgrading their recommendation to “should” is significant.
Why this recommendation from the CDC?
I think this was done for a few reasons. First, it is now clear that vaccine immunity wanes over time, particularly ~6ish months out. Protection against severe disease and death is still very high, but this means that people are at higher risk of contracting a breakthrough COVID infection, which is likely to be mild. A breakthrough infection, however mild, can carry significant risks - some people may develop more severe disease, some may transmit to others, and some may lose time on their schooling or employment. If we want to control this pandemic, we need to curb spread as much as possible, and preventing breakthrough infection is part of that strategy.
Second, I think the CDC is just following the data, albeit it was a little sluggish in doing so. Multiple studies now show (see links to studies at the end of this post). that getting a booster vaccine dose significantly increases protection against breakthrough infection, and adds to the already strong protection against severe disease, hospitalization and death. It makes sense to get a booster vaccine dose, given the current science.
Third, with the arrival of the Omicron variant, governments and public health agencies around the world are trying to be proactive in their response to this variant. While we await data regarding Omicron, we do have experience with the vaccines and all the variants that arose before Omicron - the current vaccines continue to provide significant protection against these variants. Honestly, I don’t have reason to believe otherwise for Omicron, unless there is a massive change in this variant.
Please do NOT WAIT to get your booster shot just to see if the vaccine works against Omicron. It most likely will. You also need protection against a possible winter surge of COVID-19. And remember, Delta is STILL the dominant variant in the United States, and will likely continue to be over the next few months. The booster vaccine dose DOES WORK against Delta. You want that protection for yourself and your loved ones.
Will I need a booster every year? Every 6 months?
We do not know the answer to this question. Our immune systems do not work in a linear fashion. It is quite possible that one booster shot activates the immune system in a way that provides significant protection for long period of time, and we may only need a booster once a year (like the flu vaccine). It is also possible that we may need boosters every 6 months. No one has a crystal ball, and we just have to follow the science and see what it tells us.
Why am I talking about this?
You may remember a few weeks ago I had made a video making the case for boosters only for select people, based on the data available at the time. Since then, the science has advanced and now we know more. Accordingly, I’m updating my own viewpoint and recommendations. It is not wrong to change your opinion on something if the science changes and tells you what you thought was not true anymore. That’s how science works. Not adjusting to the changing science is what gets us in trouble.
When should I get a booster and which vaccine should I get as my booster?
The CDC has an easy guide to this. You can click the link or see the screenshot from the page below:
Basically, if you are 6 months out after getting 2 doses of Pfizer or Moderna, or 2 months out after getting a J&J vaccine, you should get a booster shot. You can choose any of the three manufacturers. You can keep all doses the same, or switch ‘em up. It does not matter as long as you get a booster shot.
Links to selected studies on booster shot efficacy:
Stay tuned for more! Questions/comments? Please leave a comment below!