OT- 2nd Booster

Now that the FDA has approved a second Covid booster for those over 50 (not necessarily recommended, but approved for those who want one?), I'm curious what others thoughts are on persuing this.

I have been a big advocate of Vaccination, and have gotten my first booster. But i don't think i am gonna run to be first in line for the second. I might get an antibody test first and then take it if my antibodies are low, But its been 4 /12 months only , since my first booster, so i am not rushing.
In a perfect world, i think i would rather wait until the fall if i can, so i am covered for a potential winter surge.

A lot of it depends on how things progress... new case loads, new variants, etc.

What say you.

I am waiting on the rest of the medical people to weigh in on this. FDA did this with CDC without much consultation with others. Seems that there was much more debate with past doses.

Michael_T said...
. Might do an international trip this year and, if so, might time a booster to that so it's "fresher" then.

My thinking exactly. We are going to Europe in June so will get our second boosters in May so our antibodies will be at near full strength and working hard. Don't want no stinkin' COVID while we are traveling.

Jim

island time: this study published in Science magazine suggests that there may be some additional protection of switching up the mRNA vaccines. (Or at least I think that what is says, I was a philosophy major in college.) Here's the link (sorry it's not clickable) and one summary sentence from the abstract:

"However, in the wake of the emergence of viral variants that are able to evade vaccine-induced neutralizing antibodies, real-world vaccine efficacy has begun to show differences across the two approved mRNA platforms, BNT162b2 and mRNA-1273; these findings suggest that subtle variation in immune responses induced by the BNT162b2 and mRNA-1273 vaccines may confer differential protection"

https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/scitranslmed.abm2311

This disease is not going away. It will just keep mutating every year. Hopefully they will eventually just include it with the flu shot. Having been teachers for over 30 years, my wife and I have had just about every virus known. This one however, took a big chunk out of everyone’s life. Vaccinations do not always keep you from getting sick, they are meant to keep you from ending up in the hospital. I missed a flu shot one year and that is where I ended up. We both now have cancer and are going to Disneyland in May. The second booster will happen before the trip.

Pratoman said...
... I wish i had the cahones to do that...

Yeah, well, with PCa, you can kiss those babies goodbye

(If anyone is offended, I'll obligingly remove this post. Or Pratoman, feel free to use your super power to eradicate it. Is Will Smith a forum member?)

Post Edited (Your Friend) : 3/30/2022 3:55:19 PM (GMT-6)

I took the first two Moderna jabs and have held back on the boosters. There is real debate now whether this booster stuff is just more cash cow for Big Pharma. They initially told us two jabs would be enough then now a 4th and probably a 5th after that. When does this end? My view is since I already had a case of Covid plus two jabs why do I need to lineup for boosters.

Jack64 said...
This disease is not going away. It will just keep mutating every year. Hopefully they will eventually just include it with the flu shot.

Yeah, I'm thinking that eventually this will be like our annual flu shot. By the fall/winter, last year's shot effectiveness has waned and is not optimized for this year's strain. So a new formulation will be provided. Some of us will get the shot, some not...just like what happens now with the flu shots.

Jim

I had my 2 shots, then got Covid in September. Then got boosted in December. I'd like to know my antibody level before I rush into a 2nd booster. I never read much about getting that level checked.

I'll be getting my 2nd booster as soon as CVS gets its store approval. I've read that you can mix and match your vaccine booster type (if your pharmacy carries the one you want), but the evidence for an improved response is sketchy. I've had 3 Pfizer shots--perhaps I'll ask for a J&J booster if they have it.

Djin

centralPAdude said...

I got mine at a CVS. Good to go.

Thanks--I just scheduled mine. They had Pfizer and Modena as choices--I went with the Pfizer (I think the Modena booster is half the dose of the Modena primary shot.)

Djin

We got our two Pfizer vaccines and booster in mid-October.

We plan on getting the booster in late April-mid-May.

We are delaying just a tad, awaiting more feedback.

Sans unexpected negative news, we will get our 4th shot.

Prediction: This might end up being a regular event, maybe every 6 months?

Mel

I had the J&J in May 21 and a moderate Covid Delta breakthrough case in August 21. Since then three different doctors I see all said to wait until August 22 to consider a booster and get tested for antibodies first. If they are strong, then no need for the booster at that time.

With the first surge of Omicron and now the Variant showing the original vaccines are much less effective, they are all three questioning the rush to multiple shots based on the original, and now defunct, strain. They also all three advised against mixing vaccines before we really know more about them in the longer term and advised that when I am ready for the booster to stay with the J&J.

My wife had the J&J at the same time and she did not catch Covid when I did though we were with each other and the people whom I probably caught it from. At her recent oncologist meeting her blood panel included the antibody test. It was strong and her oncologist said it is not yet time for a booster.