Introduction
The amount of people in the United States who have received two doses of the COVID vaccine is high, although it could always be higher. However, while many people assumed that they would be done with the vaccine regiment after the initial two shots, it now seems like more shots are coming for those who wish to combat the virus.
The idea of boosters seemed foreign even just a few months ago but now it sounds like an absolute certainty. If you are one of the millions who took both shots, you will need one more to keep your immune system strong.
COVID booster doses will be available in the United States in September, according to public health experts such as the CDC and Health and Human Services Department. According to a proposal revealed by government agencies, all people in the United States who received a two-dose vaccine will be eligible for an extra Pfizer or Moderna vaccine eight months after their second dosage.
What are COVID boosters? Why are they needed? Most importantly, do you need them?
Why are COVID Boosters Needed?
Essentially, a booster shot is yet another way to keep your strength against the virus strong. When you receive a booster shot, you are allowing your immune system to stay strong as the virus remains around.
The Delta variant has made the coronavirus so much stronger than people predicted. If it weren’t for Delta, the virus would have likely been nearly gone by now. But with the Delta Variant, as well as too many people unvaccinated, the virus is still evident in most of the country. That is why a booster is so smart. It will keep healthy people healthy and will stop the spread of the virus as more and more get vaccinated.
Is There a Difference Between a Booster and Third Shot?
A booster injection is similar to a third vaccination dose in many respects. Not all extra vaccination doses, however, are boosters.
The FDA authorized a third dosage of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine for immunocompromised persons in August 2021. This includes persons living with HIV and those undergoing immune-suppressing cancer therapy. The extra dose isn’t a booster for them. Instead, it’s included in their first round of vaccinations.
However, for those who are not immunocompromised, a booster shot really is a lot like just getting a third vaccine injection. However, that doesn’t limit its importance at all.
Who Needs Boosters?
For people who received the Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna vaccinations, a booster is suggested at least six months after the second dosage for those who are:
- 18 to 64 years old and at high risk for severe illness from COVID. That means people with lung disease, cancer, or diabetes are prime candidates for the booster.
- Anyone 65 or olders
- Citizens living or working in high-exposure settings. This is people who are healthcare workers, teachers, grocery workers, prisoners, or those who live or work in long-term care facilities.
Like the vaccine shots that came before, the boosters will be covered by insurance or a free program via the government.