(NEXSTAR) – COVID circumstances are nonetheless on the rise, however an up to date vaccine could possibly be greater than a month away. That leaves some involved folks in a predicament: get boosted now, or wait?
As of August, the most recent model of the vaccine we’ve out there is the “bivalent” shot, which was launched final yr. It was designed to focus on the extremely contagious omicron variant of COVID, which continues to be the dominant variant to at the present time. However, research present the bivalent shot’s effectiveness wanes considerably over time.
And over the previous yr, omicron has spawned many subtypes, every with a identify composed of letters and numbers. The most typical over a lot of the previous yr have been the XBB strains. The new booster, which needs to be out there by finish of September or early October, is a monovalent vaccine, particularly made to focus on XBB.
Whether they need the safety now or not, many individuals have to attend for the XBB-targeting booster to be launched as a result of they are not eligible for an additional dose now. If you’ve already gotten a bivalent shot, you might not have the ability to get a second dose.
Currently, the CDC solely recommends a second bivalent shot for people who find themselves immunocompromised or 65 and older. “The vast majority of people can wait until the updated COVID shots are available in late September or early October,” stated Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, an infectious illness knowledgeable on the University of California, San Francisco. “Given the increase in cases currently however, those who are 65 or older or those who are immunocompromised can chat with their health provider to determine whether they should get a dose of the currently available vaccines.”
Those teams should not fear they’re going to be left behind when the brand new booster comes out this fall, Chin-Hong stated. “These individuals will still be eligible to get the new COVID vaccine – even if an additional shot is received now,” he stated.
Those who can get a booster now, shouldn’t wait, agreed Dr. Sherif Mossad, MD, infectious illness specialist at Cleveland Clinic, “since we don’t know when the new monovalent will become available.” For those that have not gotten a bivalent dose but, there’s nonetheless time. The CDC recommends one dose of the booster for everybody ages 6 and older.
Over the subsequent few weeks, the Food and Drug Administration is anticipated to provide extra data on who can get the brand new booster shot and when. The CDC will present its suggestions afterward, in response to Dr. Anand Parekh, chief medical advisor on the Bipartisan Policy Center.
Not certain if you’re updated on COVID-19 vaccines? The CDC has extra data on its web site.
