If you’re eligible, are you getting a booster?

[twowhat?]

I just got my flu shot on Wednesday so I will probably get it in a couple weeks. (Got covid vaccines in Dec/Jan).

I am mostly getting it because I am a healthcare worker, with 4 kids in person school with masks optional and high community spread, and DD is still breastfeeding and only 2 so it's going to be a long time still till there's a vaccine for her. I'm not really sure what I will do for her since this will be my third dose she's been breastfeeding during, strongly considering that for her I'll get her one dose of the vaccine and not the second.

Antibodies obtained through breastfeeding, a type of passive immunity, stick around for only about 6 months, so they aren't lasting protection. Vaccination on the other hand will stimulate her immune system to produce antibodies as well as activate other immune cells (adaptive immunity). It's during this immune response that "memory" is generated. Just FYI!! It'll be a while before she's eligible for a vaccine but just wanted to point out that breastfeeding antibodies will be gone after 6 months, with no adaptive immunity or memory unless she's actively infected with the virus. Having said that, breastfeeding is the absolute best way to protect her right now!

[MSWR0319]

Since they approved it for those who are high risk 18 & older or those at high risk of infection in that same age group, why are they not allowing anyone 18+? Are they worried about a low supply and want to make sure those who really need it can get it? I was just curious since we know immunity wanes and it’s considered safe to give a third shot since they are allowing that. I’d like a booster to be able to choose if I want to protect myself since the vaccination rate is so low here. We’re at 972 cases per 100k right now with a 40% vaccination rate.

[KpbS]

I’ll probably get one at 8-9 mo if I qualify by then. Check back in Dec.

[NCGrandma]

I’m definitely planning to get a booster (as an "old person"). By the time they figure out what those of us who got Moderna in Jan and Feb should do, it will be at least 8 months since the second dose.


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[wencit]

I have underlying conditions, so yes, I plan to get a booster once I'm past the 6 month mark.

[o_mom]

Since they approved it for those who are high risk 18 & older or those at high risk of infection in that same age group, why are they not allowing anyone 18+? Are they worried about a low supply and want to make sure those who really need it can get it? I was just curious since we know immunity wanes and it’s considered safe to give a third shot since they are allowing that. I’d like a booster to be able to choose if I want to protect myself since the vaccination rate is so low here. We’re at 972 cases per 100k right now with a 40% vaccination rate.

Having watched the advisory committee meetings for the original EUA and the booster, I have to say that the data this time was not nearly as robust as the original. I don't think they had nearly enough data to show that immunity wanes with respect to infection/disease vs. antibody titers. It was not at all clear that boosters are needed at this time. That is why there was so much back and forth with evidence on both sides.

I do think that a recommendation of boosters for all may actually deter unvaccinated folks from getting vaccinated... There is a lot of "see they just want you to get one every 6 months forever to make money" or "they want to change the definition of fully vaccinated", etc. Which is not helpful when we are seeing cases primarily in unvaccinated individuals. Boosters will not change this in a meaningful way... What is needed is higher primary vaccination rates.

[twowhat?]

Having watched the advisory committee meetings for the original EUA and the booster, I have to say that the data this time was not nearly as robust as the original. I don't think they had nearly enough data to show that immunity wanes with respect to infection/disease vs. antibody titers. It was not at all clear that boosters are needed at this time. That is why there was so much back and forth with evidence on both sides.

I do think that a recommendation of boosters for all may actually deter unvaccinated folks from getting vaccinated... There is a lot of "see they just want you to get one every 6 months forever to make money" or "they want to change the definition of fully vaccinated", etc. Which is not helpful when we are seeing cases primarily in unvaccinated individuals. Boosters will not change this in a meaningful way... What is needed is higher primary vaccination rates.

I think this is a very fair statement. There's less data and it's definitely not as robust. Primary vaccination continues to do what was originally intended, which is to reduce the rates of severe disease.

Having said that, we're getting our boosters tomorrow (both DH and I have a CDC listed underlying condition) mainly because for totally selfish reasons we feel like we want the potential extra protection to get our lives back to normal while being surrounded by people who will never get vaccinated.

[basil]

DH and I got our boosters today. To avoid infecting our kids/patients, and to decrease our chances of needing to quarantine.

I have to say, I was pretty mad last night at the "ACIP", but I had this idea that they were a bunch of career research/policy/public health types who worked for the government and had some sort of political agenda. Then I googled who the ACIP membership actually is, and was surprised to find an acquaintance/colleague on there. Oops. I guess it's a group of MDs in academic medicine, still in clinical practice, with a high % of pediatricians (cause pre-pandemic that's who was thinking about vaccines a lot). People who applied for this position never thinking their meetings were going to be live tweeted and articles written in the NYT. I'll try to have a bit more grace from now on.

[doberbrat]

Reading the link above, I'm pretty sure I qualify under 2 categories and I'm 6+ mo post vax. There was a clinic at one of the schools today and I was tempted to see if I could get in but last year I got a cortisone shot right inbetween both doses and worried about that affecting how effective the shots would be. I'm having major knee issues again and have another drs appt in 10 days so I'm going to wait and see how that goes. So I'll plan on getting one next month.

I cant afford to miss work and I cant risk getting dd2 sick.

[JElaineB]

Just got my third Pfizer and flu vax at Walgreens. At first they didn't want to give me the Pfizer because I'm not quite 6 months past the first dose, but I have chronic kidney disease so when I told them that they qualified me.