How Long After Having COVID Should You Get the New Vaccine?
A lot has happened with COVID-19 vaccines in the past few years, making it difficult to keep up. But we're here for you! We've spent the last few months hearing all about (or experiencing for ourselves) the new FLiRT variants.
But now there's more welcomed news to focus on: there's an updated COVID-19 booster on the scene, just approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Keeping up with vaccinations is important. COVID-19 immunity, whether it’s from catching COVID or getting vaccinated against the virus, doesn’t last forever, explains John Sellick, D.O., an infectious disease expert and professor of medicine at the University at Buffalo. And, “COVID-19 has spawned all of these variants; these things keep evolving,” Dr. Sellick adds. This means the newest shot has been formulated with that in mind in order to offer you more effective protection.
What is the updated vaccine?
The latest COVID vaccine is an updated booster that targets the Omicron variants that have been circulating all summer (part of the FLiRT family). The new vaccines were tweaked using the KP.2 strain to provide better coverage for the current variants dominating, Dr. Sellick says, so it's a different formulation than last fall's shot. "SARS-CoV-2 has shown a remarkable ability to continue to mutate, giving it improved ability to spread," adds Dr. Sellick.
Moderna and Pfizer-BioNtech both rolled out these newly approved mRNA boosters, so you can get jabbed with whichever is available to you at your doctor, the local pharmacy or urgent care or other vaccination sites. The new shots are meant to help lower your chances of getting infected and to help prevent serious illness or hospitalization if you do get sick. However, like most vaccines, it’s not a perfect match, so there's a chance you may still become infected with COVID-19, called a breakthrough infection, despite being vaccinated (and this is the case for most jabs that we receive, such as the flu shot).
Who can get it?
According to the latest CDC recommendations, everyone ages six months and up should get vaccinated with the newly formulated vaccines — but the number of doses will vary based on vaccination history, health status (immunocompromised individuals may need additional doses) and age (for instance, younger children may need multiple doses), so check with your doctor and/or refer to the CDC's recommendations for the latest shot.
When will pharmacies have it?
The recently approved Moderna and Pfizer-BioNtech vaccines are expected to roll out soon, and be widely available at various vaccination sites by some time in September. You can check with your doctor, local pharmacy or another vaccination site to see if they have the newest formulations in stock before getting jabbed.
How long after having COVID can you get the booster?
"In general, it is a good idea to wait about three months after having documented COVID before getting the new vaccine," advises Dr. Sellick. Everyone is different, but the antibodies from the natural infection will likely persist for about three months. But don't stress if you do schedule your jab before that time period is up, as "it turns out that so-called 'hybrid' immunity from a combination of infection and vaccine may actually offer better protection," Dr. Sellick adds.
The most important factor is that you get vaccinated in general. "We are at a point where COVID is here to stay... so we should look at this as an ongoing health maintenance issue whereby we get a COVID shot and a flu shot each Fall," says Dr. Sellick.
Does the COVID booster have side effects?
The side effects are predicted to be similar to those of previous COVID-19 boosters. For instance, with last year's booster, the most common side effect was “a bit of a sore arm,” says William Schaffner, M.D., an infectious disease specialist and professor at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine.
Some people may also develop a headache or other symptoms that resemble those that can occur when infected with the virus itself, but experts agree that the vaccines are safe and that people should protect themselves and others by getting vaccinated. “With more than 20 billion vaccine doses administered in the world, substantial side effects have been quite rare,” says Martin Blaser, M.D., chair of the Henry Rutgers Chair of the Human Microbiome at the Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. “For most people, the benefits far, far exceed the risks.”
Bottom line
The most recent CDC recommendations around a COVID booster were released in August 2024. Those recommendations should stand until it's time for the next updated booster is developed and authorized down the line. So follow the government recommendations for getting a booster or check with your doctor. And remember: If you are experiencing any symptoms, such as a sore throat, fever, runny nose or cough, it's important to test yourself immediately so that you can avoid spreading the latest variants.
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