{"id":1939,"date":"2022-09-07T11:47:27","date_gmt":"2022-09-07T18:47:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.druryjournal.com\/?p=1939"},"modified":"2022-09-07T11:47:30","modified_gmt":"2022-09-07T18:47:30","slug":"should-i-get-the-new-coronavirus-omicron-boost-yes-and-timing-is-everything","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.druryjournal.com\/?p=1939","title":{"rendered":"Should I Get the New Coronavirus\/Omicron Boost?\u00a0 Yes, and Timing is Everything"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class='booster-block booster-read-block'>\n                <div class=\"twp-read-time\">\n                \t<i class=\"booster-icon twp-clock\"><\/i> <span>Read Time:<\/span>4 Minute, 48 Second                <\/div>\n\n            <\/div>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>The new mRNA Coronavirus booster shots, supplied by Moderna and Pfizer, are rapidly becoming available.<\/li><li>They are formulated to protect against the original Wuhan virus and the newer\/dominant Omicron variants, BA.4, BA.5.&nbsp; They are also effective against the slow-growing BA.4.6 strain.<\/li><li>Per the FDA authorization and CDC guidelines, anyone 12 years old or older may get the new Pfizer boost (one-time dose), so long as it has been at least 2 months since the most recent COVID shot and\/or prior infection.&nbsp; The same is true with the Moderna boost for people 18 years old or older.<\/li><li>The 2-month-between-shots-or-infections timing might not be optimal for all people, because numerous studies have shown that the prior boosters are most effective and most enduring after approximately 6 months after a prior vaccine or COVID infection in most healthy people.<\/li><li>Regardless, you should consult your primary-care doctor prior to deciding, as everyone\u2019s situation is different.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>I&#8217;m sure that, by now, most of us have heard the good news of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fda.gov\/news-events\/press-announcements\/coronavirus-covid-19-update-fda-authorizes-moderna-pfizer-biontech-bivalent-covid-19-vaccines-use\">FDA-approved updated coronavirus booster shots<\/a>.&nbsp; These mRNA <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cancer.gov\/publications\/dictionaries\/cancer-terms\/def\/bivalent-vaccine\">bivalent vaccines<\/a> target <strong>both<\/strong> original BA.1 (AKA Wuhan) strain <strong>and<\/strong> the latest and most transmissible <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/SARS-CoV-2_Omicron_variant\">Omicron subvariants<\/a>, mainly BA.4, BA.5.&nbsp; Studies have also indicated protection against the new BA4.6 subvariant, which is currently on the horizon.&nbsp; Fortunately, as of this writing, there are no identified variants of concern that the new boost is known to not protect against.&nbsp; Hence, this is likely a great opportunity to significantly reduce our chances of contracting COVID and especially becoming seriously ill or dying of COVID.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These updated vaccines are in full production and are already starting to become available to the general public.\u00a0 In fact, my local Walgreens in Greater Los Angeles, CA is accepting appointments for the updated Pfizer vaccine starting today (September 7<sup>th<\/sup>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:24px\"><strong>Are they safe and effective?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Based on the animal trials and human trials to date coupled with their overall similarity to the original vaccine formulations (same basic ingredients), both vaccines are considered to be very safe.\u00a0 I know some people are uncomfortable with the FDA basing its approval largely on animal studies.\u00a0 However, if the FDA had relied solely on human clinical trials, there is a good chance the corona virus would have mutated into yet another strain that would be resistant to these new vaccines.\u00a0 Hence, time is of essence in protecting as many people as possible from this deadly disease and in eventually establishing some level of herd immunity that will lessen the overall spread and mutation rate of this virus going forward.\u00a0 IOW, the overall loss-of-life risk of waiting for human trials is much greater than that of using animal studies combined with qualifying\/approving the new vaccines by similarity to the existing vaccines, as the ingredients and manufacturing processes are essentially the same.\u00a0 This has been standard practice for some time in approving updated annual flu vaccines each year.\u00a0 And the flu is just another form of the coronavirus.\u00a0 So, if we\u2019re comfortable with that approach with the annual flu shot, then why should we treat the COVID vaccine any different?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Meanwhile, I believe the new vaccine\u2019s effectiveness has yet to be quantified, as such requires substantial <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Real_world_data\">real-world data<\/a> taken over the next several months. \u00a0However, I do believe there is ample evidence that it will help a lot, mainly based on <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Antibody\">antibody<\/a> level increases that were noted during both the human and animal studies.\u00a0 Remember, whenever, antibody levels increase (immediate but temporary benefit), so do the <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/B_cell\">B cells<\/a> (memory cells) and <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/T_cell\">T cells<\/a> (helper cells).\u00a0 And I believe there is every reason to believe the same will hold true with these updated vaccines.\u00a0 For further information regarding the corona virus vaccine, how it works, and its safety\/effectiveness, please see &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.druryjournal.com\/?page_id=843\">Understanding the Coronavirus Vaccine<\/a>&#8221; and \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.druryjournal.com\/?p=1789\">Could the Coronavirus Vaccine Cause Long COVID?<\/a>\u201d (it doesn\u2019t), also on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.druryjournal.com\">DruryJournal<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:24px\"><strong>When am I Eligible to Get It?&nbsp; And When Should I Get It?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>According to the current CDC guidelines, everyone 12 years old and older is eligible after 2 months after having received either the initial vaccine series (regardless of vaccine technology and manufacturer), a booster, or having tested positive for COVID.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, this timing might not be optimal for all people, as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cell.com\/cell\/fulltext\/S0092-8674(22)00456-1?_returnURL=https%3A%2F%2Flinkinghub.elsevier.com%2Fretrieve%2Fpii%2FS0092867422004561%3Fshowall%3Dtrue\">recent studies<\/a> suggest that 6 months between doses provides stronger and more enduring protection.&nbsp; Thus, it is considered optimal for most healthy people in most situations.&nbsp; This is because, per another <a href=\"https:\/\/jamanetwork.com\/journals\/jamanetworkopen\/fullarticle\/2795654\">recent study<\/a>, antibody protection lasts at least 6 months, and an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41586-021-03207-w\">additional study<\/a> indicates that B cells continue to mature until approximately 6 months after vaccination or infection.&nbsp; It has been known for some time that boosters (including existing COVID boosters) are most effective when administered once the antibody levels wane somewhat after prior vaccination and\/or actual COVID infection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This doesn\u2019t mean the vaccines would be harmful or completely ineffective if given between 2 and 6 months, as they would still provide some protection.&nbsp; However, I believe it does mean we\u2019ll usually get the best \u201cbang for the buck\u201d if we wait the full 6 months after receiving our initial COVID vaccine series, a COVID boost, or test positive for COVID, whichever of these happens most recently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, there are other factors to consider, including other health factors\/risks and current COVID case counts.&nbsp; Thus, as I have always recommended, we should check with our primary care doctors prior to deciding, especially if in doubt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:24px\"><strong>Reference<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/news.yahoo.com\/cdcs-booster-recommendations-may-not-144124926.html?fr=sycsrp_catchall\">The CDC&#8217;s Booster Recommendations May Not Provide Optimal Protection<\/a>\u201d article in Time Magazine, published on Yahoo News on September 6<sup>th<\/sup>, 2022.<\/p>\n        <div class=\"booster-block booster-reactions-block\">\n            <div class=\"twp-reactions-icons\">\n                \n                <div class=\"twp-reacts-wrap\">\n                    <a react-data=\"be-react-1\" post-id=\"1939\" class=\"be-face-icons un-reacted\" href=\"javascript:void(0)\">\n                        <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.druryjournal.com\/wp-content\/plugins\/booster-extension\/\/assets\/icon\/happy.svg\" alt=\"Happy\">\n                    <\/a>\n                    <div class=\"twp-reaction-title\">\n                        Happy                    <\/div>\n                    <div class=\"twp-count-percent\">\n                                                    <span style=\"display: none;\" class=\"twp-react-count\">0<\/span>\n                        \n                                                <span class=\"twp-react-percent\"><span>0<\/span> %<\/span>\n                                            <\/div>\n                <\/div>\n\n                <div class=\"twp-reacts-wrap\">\n                    <a react-data=\"be-react-2\" post-id=\"1939\" class=\"be-face-icons un-reacted\" href=\"javascript:void(0)\">\n                        <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.druryjournal.com\/wp-content\/plugins\/booster-extension\/\/assets\/icon\/sad.svg\" alt=\"Sad\">\n                    <\/a>\n                    <div class=\"twp-reaction-title\">\n                        Sad                    <\/div>\n                    <div class=\"twp-count-percent\">\n                                                    <span style=\"display: none;\" class=\"twp-react-count\">0<\/span>\n                                                                        <span class=\"twp-react-percent\"><span>0<\/span> %<\/span>\n                                            <\/div>\n                <\/div>\n\n                <div class=\"twp-reacts-wrap\">\n                    <a react-data=\"be-react-3\" post-id=\"1939\" class=\"be-face-icons un-reacted\" href=\"javascript:void(0)\">\n                        <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.druryjournal.com\/wp-content\/plugins\/booster-extension\/\/assets\/icon\/excited.svg\" alt=\"Excited\">\n                    <\/a>\n                    <div class=\"twp-reaction-title\">\n                        Excited                    <\/div>\n                    <div class=\"twp-count-percent\">\n                                                    <span style=\"display: none;\" class=\"twp-react-count\">0<\/span>\n                                                                        <span class=\"twp-react-percent\"><span>0<\/span> %<\/span>\n                                            <\/div>\n                <\/div>\n\n                <div class=\"twp-reacts-wrap\">\n                    <a react-data=\"be-react-6\" post-id=\"1939\" class=\"be-face-icons un-reacted\" href=\"javascript:void(0)\">\n                        <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.druryjournal.com\/wp-content\/plugins\/booster-extension\/\/assets\/icon\/sleepy.svg\" alt=\"Sleepy\">\n                    <\/a>\n                    <div class=\"twp-reaction-title\">\n                        Sleepy                    <\/div>\n                    <div class=\"twp-count-percent\">\n                                                    <span style=\"display: none;\" class=\"twp-react-count\">0<\/span>\n                        \n                                                <span class=\"twp-react-percent\"><span>0<\/span> %<\/span>\n                                            <\/div>\n                <\/div>\n\n                <div class=\"twp-reacts-wrap\">\n                    <a react-data=\"be-react-4\" post-id=\"1939\" class=\"be-face-icons un-reacted\" href=\"javascript:void(0)\">\n                        <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.druryjournal.com\/wp-content\/plugins\/booster-extension\/\/assets\/icon\/angry.svg\" alt=\"Angry\">\n                    <\/a>\n                    <div class=\"twp-reaction-title\">Angry<\/div>\n                    <div class=\"twp-count-percent\">\n                                                    <span style=\"display: none;\" class=\"twp-react-count\">0<\/span>\n                                                                        <span class=\"twp-react-percent\"><span>0<\/span> %<\/span>\n                        \n                    <\/div>\n                <\/div>\n\n                <div class=\"twp-reacts-wrap\">\n                    <a react-data=\"be-react-5\" post-id=\"1939\" class=\"be-face-icons un-reacted\" href=\"javascript:void(0)\">\n                        <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.druryjournal.com\/wp-content\/plugins\/booster-extension\/\/assets\/icon\/surprise.svg\" alt=\"Surprise\">\n                    <\/a>\n                    <div class=\"twp-reaction-title\">Surprise<\/div>\n                    <div class=\"twp-count-percent\">\n                                                    <span style=\"display: none;\" class=\"twp-react-count\">0<\/span>\n                                                                        <span class=\"twp-react-percent\"><span>0<\/span> %<\/span>\n                                            <\/div>\n                <\/div>\n\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n\n    ","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The new mRNA Coronavirus booster shots, supplied by Moderna and Pfizer, are rapidly becoming available. They are formulated to protect against the original Wuhan virus and the newer\/dominant Omicron variants, BA.4, BA.5.&nbsp; They are also effective against the slow-growing BA.4.6 strain. Per the FDA authorization and CDC guidelines, anyone 12 years old or older may [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1946,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true},"categories":[85,47,15],"tags":[197,263,201,198,264,200,266,229,230,267,265],"class_list":["post-1939","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-from-the-editor","category-from-the-news","category-health","tag-coronavirus-2","tag-coronavirus-booster","tag-coronavirus-vaccine","tag-covid-2","tag-covid-booster","tag-covid-vaccine","tag-moderna","tag-mrna","tag-mrna-vaccine","tag-omicron-2","tag-pfizer"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"featured_image_urls":{"full":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.druryjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Omicron-Booster-Featured-Image.png?fit=1024%2C683&ssl=1",1024,683,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.druryjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Omicron-Booster-Featured-Image.png?resize=150%2C150&ssl=1",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.druryjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Omicron-Booster-Featured-Image.png?fit=300%2C200&ssl=1",300,200,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.druryjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Omicron-Booster-Featured-Image.png?fit=768%2C512&ssl=1",768,512,true],"large":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.druryjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Omicron-Booster-Featured-Image.png?fit=1024%2C683&ssl=1",1024,683,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.druryjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Omicron-Booster-Featured-Image.png?fit=1024%2C683&ssl=1",1024,683,true],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.druryjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Omicron-Booster-Featured-Image.png?fit=1024%2C683&ssl=1",1024,683,true],"pk-small":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.druryjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Omicron-Booster-Featured-Image.png?resize=80%2C80&ssl=1",80,80,true],"pk-thumbnail":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.druryjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Omicron-Booster-Featured-Image.png?resize=300%2C225&ssl=1",300,225,true],"bigbulletin-500-300":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.druryjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Omicron-Booster-Featured-Image.png?resize=500%2C300&ssl=1",500,300,true]},"author_info":{"info":["The Editor"]},"category_info":"<a href=\"https:\/\/www.druryjournal.com\/?cat=85\" rel=\"category\">From the Editor<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.druryjournal.com\/?cat=47\" rel=\"category\">From The News<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.druryjournal.com\/?cat=15\" rel=\"category\">Health<\/a>","tag_info":"Health","comment_count":"0","jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.druryjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Omicron-Booster-Featured-Image.png?fit=1024%2C683&ssl=1","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1789,"url":"https:\/\/www.druryjournal.com\/?p=1789","url_meta":{"origin":1939,"position":0},"title":"Could the Coronavirus Vaccine Cause Long COVID?","date":"August 22, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"A recent Washington Post Article entitled \u201cNew study suggests covid increases risks of brain disorders\u201d via Yahoo News talks about an elevated risk of brain disorder two years after one getting sick with COVID.\u00a0 The study, originally published in the Lancet Psychiatry, showed increased risks of some brain disorders two\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;From the Editor&quot;","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.druryjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/COVID-Vaccine-Post-Image.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":34,"url":"https:\/\/www.druryjournal.com\/?p=34","url_meta":{"origin":1939,"position":1},"title":"The Millennium\u2019s Greatest Miracle \u2013 the COVID-19 Vaccine","date":"December 14, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"I\u2019m sure we all agree that COVID-19 is the worst thing that has happened to humankind since the 1918 Spanish flu.\u00a0 For well over a century, the sinking of the Titanic was viewed as the worst disaster, and for good reason because over 1500 people died.\u00a0 However, the 911 Twin\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Health&quot;","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.druryjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/ready-for-it.png?fit=1200%2C628&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":178,"url":"https:\/\/www.druryjournal.com\/?p=178","url_meta":{"origin":1939,"position":2},"title":"Operation Warp Speed\u2019s Success Story","date":"January 2, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"It\u2019s all over the news that Operation Warp Speed did not meet its target of producing, distributing and administering at least 20 million doses prior to the end of 2020.\u00a0 According to the CDC Data Tracker, 12.4 million doses have been distributed and only 2.8 million administered as of 9:00\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Health&quot;","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.druryjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/operation-warp-speed.png?fit=1200%2C628&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":679,"url":"https:\/\/www.druryjournal.com\/?p=679","url_meta":{"origin":1939,"position":3},"title":"The Latest COVID Outbreak \u2013 Where Do We Go From Here?","date":"July 13, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"It seems we\u2019re stuck in a perpetual pattern regarding COVID.\u00a0 It surges.\u00a0 We get vaccinated\/boosted.\u00a0 The surge subsides, and we think we\u2019re out of the woods.\u00a0 Then it surges again with a more vaccine-elusive and more contagious variant.\u00a0 Case counts eventually come back down, and, again, we think we see\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;From The News&quot;","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.druryjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/corona-virus.png?fit=1200%2C628&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":915,"url":"https:\/\/www.druryjournal.com\/?p=915","url_meta":{"origin":1939,"position":4},"title":"Fact or Fiction:  Is the Coronavirus Vaccine effective?","date":"July 22, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Coronavirus vaccines are indeed very effective in preventing hospitalization and death, but not as much against getting infected.Neutralizing antibodies generated in response to vaccines kick in nearly instantly and are therefore most effective in preventing infection.\u00a0 However, with the\u00a0coronavirus, they wane with time and are less effective against the new\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;From the Editor&quot;","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.druryjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/covid-vac-vial.png?fit=1200%2C628&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1732,"url":"https:\/\/www.druryjournal.com\/?p=1732","url_meta":{"origin":1939,"position":5},"title":"Why Are Public Health Experts Mad About The CDC&#8217;s New COVID Guidelines?","date":"August 19, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"I just read a recent BuzzFeed News article via Yahoo News that underscored the level of dissatisfaction the medical community has regarding the new CDC guidelines on the coronavirus.\u00a0 Here\u2019s my take: This is what happens when we let politics rule - disconnection from the truth. All along, the medical\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;From the Editor&quot;","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.druryjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/cdc-featured-image-2.png?fit=1200%2C628&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.druryjournal.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1939","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.druryjournal.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.druryjournal.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.druryjournal.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.druryjournal.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1939"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/www.druryjournal.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1939\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1952,"href":"https:\/\/www.druryjournal.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1939\/revisions\/1952"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.druryjournal.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1946"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.druryjournal.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1939"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.druryjournal.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1939"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.druryjournal.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1939"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}