Will you get the Covid 19 Booster vaccine when it is available to you?

[ZestfullyBling]

We get boosters all the time… Tetanus shot, Flu, etc. How is COVID any different?

 

[Tonks]

I had Pfizer #3 on Wednesday. Saw my doctor that morning and she told me that given my multiple autoimmune conditions I needed one. No need to tell me twice— I got one that afternoon. Sore arm, slight fever and tired about 24 hours later. No big deal and I will HAPPILY take these things over Covid. Would love for my husband and kids to have their third shots as well but it may be a while for them.

What no one is talking about are the devastating effects of long Covid. I’m currently dealing with a number of chronic medical conditions, and I honestly cannot handle any more. I have a formerly healthy friend who had Covid last March who is still struggling. That’s what scares me at the moment.

 

[vintageinjune]

Just received my 3rd dose last week of Moderna. I've dealt with a self-limiting autoimmune disorder as a child, and while I am currently healthy as far as we know, I don't want to risk being a "long-hauler". Considering I work in dentistry and have many patients with health issues, I REALLY need to minimize my risk of passing something on to them. My aunt contracted Covid-19 back in November last year and is STILL having issues. One of my other aunts contracted it last month while on a cruise (she was a breakthrough case as she is fully vaccinated, but I don't know which one she received)- mild symptoms, no lasting issues we are aware of.

My arm was sore for a day and a half, very tired the next day with energy returned and sorness gone roughly 48 hours after. My first dose was the roughest for me.

Now that I'm boosted, I'm getting back in to doing volunteer work again and I'm so excited to feel much safer while being able to give back.

 

[LightBright]

Lest anyone be confused about vaccines, they sometimes do not provoke an antibody response at all. Just like in COVID19, there are some people who do not seem to mount an antibody response. Those people are most at risk. A recent Israeli study showed that a certain percentage of fully vaccinated health workers (mostly middle aged to young women) had a breakthrough infection a few months after full Vacc, and that population also had higher than normal rates of long haul. The authors compared that population’s antibodies with the non breakthrough population and found much lower antibody production which was NOT due to waning). A study on the PFizer vaccine out of Germany (oauthor Ortwin Adams of University Hospital Dusseldorf in Germany) showed that 31% of recipients over age 80 had no antibodies at all, even after two shots (versus 2% of the under 60s after two shots).

The idea that a vaccine booster is necessary for all people doesn’t make medical sense. Boosters should target the demographic that typically doesn’t generate enough antibodies. If our government wants to give a booster to all healthcare workers and teachers (CDC statement yesterday) then why aren’t they doing antibody studies to show waning or non production of antibodies is correlated with increasing breakthrough infections for younger people?

 

[Dancing Fire]

The idea that a vaccine booster is necessary for all people doesn’t make medical sense. Boosters should target the demographic that typically doesn’t generate enough antibodies. If our government wants to give a booster to all healthcare workers and teachers (CDC statement yesterday) then why aren’t they doing antibody studies to show waning or non production of antibodies is correlated with increasing breakthrough infections for younger people?

Why would they? to prove themselves wrong? Same reason they don't wanna let the public know that natural immunity is way better than the vaccine.

 

[ItsMainelyYou]

Why would they? to prove themselves wrong? Same reason they don't wanna let the public know that natural immunity is way better than the vaccine.

Except once again, that's not true.

Coronavirus Disease 2019

CDC provides credible COVID-19 health information to the U.S.

www.cdc.gov

How Immunity Generated from COVID-19 Vaccines Differs from an Infection

A key issue as we move closer to ending the pandemic is determining more precisely how long people exposed to SARS-CoV-2, the COVID-19 virus, will make neutralizing antibodies against this dangerou…

directorsblog.nih.gov

then why aren’t they doing antibody studies to show waning or non production of antibodies is correlated with increasing breakthrough infections for younger people?

I believe they are.
Also, there is added pressure to give what are essentially unnecessary boosters at this time for certain groups.
https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2021/09/waning-immunity-not-crisis-right-now/619965/

Here is a good general breakdown resource of Covid being discussed in the news.

The latest on the coronavirus

Harvard Chan School experts offer comments and context about the coronavirus in a variety of media outlets.

www.hsph.harvard.edu

 

[rockeyyyadav]

thank your dear

 

[Snowdrop13]

Just had my 3rd dose Pfizer plus a flu jab.

It‘s a no-brainer

 

[Matata]

plus a flu jab

I had the flu jab last Friday at noon and by 1:30 felt crappy and slept from then throughout almost the entire weekend. Had chills, hot flashes, muscle aches. This is the first time in decades that I reacted to the flu vaccine.

 

[Snowdrop13]

I had the flu jab last Friday at noon and by 1:30 felt crappy and slept from then throughout almost the entire weekend. Had chills, hot flashes, muscle aches. This is the first time in decades that I reacted to the flu vaccine.

Nightmare! Currently I have a dead arm on the COVID side and armpit pain on the flu side, hope I’m ok tomorrow

 

[Matata]

Nightmare! Currently I have a dead arm on the COVID side and armpit pain on the flu side, hope I’m ok tomorrow

Ugh. If that were me, I'd be abed and someone would be serving me delectable goodies and catering to my every whim until my arms were functional which would probably take a really long time... I hope you are feeling better tomorrow.

 

[Snowdrop13]

Ugh. If that were me, I'd be abed and someone would be serving me delectable goodies and catering to my every whim until my arms were functional which would probably take a really long time... I hope you are feeling better tomorrow.

I am abed, no one serving me goodies but I have had a glass of wine (hasn’t helped the symptoms but I sure feel better about them!). Thank you for the good wishes!

 

[missy]

My parents got the Pfizer booster last Friday. My dad had no reaction again (87). My nom got pretty sick again. Lasted 3 days. Fever, chills, body aches. Glad they got the booster.

 

[Calliecake]

I had the flu jab last Friday at noon and by 1:30 felt crappy and slept from then throughout almost the entire weekend. Had chills, hot flashes, muscle aches. This is the first time in decades that I reacted to the flu vaccine.

@Matata, Was this the normal yearly flu vaccine?

 

[Matata]

Was this the normal yearly flu vaccine?

Yes. It was the high dose quadrivalent given to 65+ yrs.

 

[Calliecake]

Yes. It was the high dose quadrivalent given to 65+ yrs.

Thank you for the heads up @Matata.

 

[MamaBee]

My husband, son, and I just got our flu jabs yesterday…My husband’s arm was sore..David and I really didn’t have any reaction. My arm was maybe a tiny bit sore if I pressed on it…I’m always tired..I would never know if I had fatigue as a reaction…

 

[PinkAndBlueBling]

Like @Snowdrop13 I got my booster and flu shots a few days ago. Not the smartest move, as both arms were very sore that night and the next day. I was super tired for two days, then my armpit of the booster shot arm swelled. It's a strange sensation, but normal so I'm not worried. Luckily, I've never reacted to any vaccine except for being tired.
I'm not in a high-risk category, except living near a bunch of a-holes. That, and DH has "eh" lungs from his accident and would have a super tough time beating COVID, plus DD works with babies so I'm doing my part for "the greater good."

 

[dmack]

I just got my Moderna booster this afternoon. I qualify because I take immunosuppressant meds for an autoimmune condition. So far my arm is not as sore as quickly as the original two shots. I’m hoping that bodes well for tomorrow, as I felt awful after dose #2. I have put off the booster for weeks because I couldn’t spare a day to be sick - but then was exposed to my father-in-law for several days last week before he found out he had COVID (he had a very mild breakthrough infection and is doing fine). Thankfully, I tested negative, but I made an appointment as soon as I could.

 

[dmack]

Moderna has been approved for booster shots? I missed that and have been waiting for the green light to get mine.

For people with moderately to severely compromised immune systems, the CDC did say Pfizer or Moderna is ok as a booster. I have gotten multiple emails and letters from my doctors urging me to get mine for a solid month. Where I am they’re giving the full dose of Moderna, although I understand that the FDA is likely to approve a half dose for the general public.

 

[DiaLuv]

I’m waiting on J&J. But will once it is approved I’ll take it. I’m not due till November.

 

[Matata]

For people with moderately to severely compromised immune systems, the CDC did say Pfizer or Moderna is ok as a booster.

Thanks. I deleted my post because after I posted I looked up current info. I made the incorrect assumption that its release for immunocompromised also meant it was approved for everyone. Sorry.

 

[dmack]

Thanks. I deleted my post because after I posted I looked up current info. I made the incorrect assumption that its release for immunocompromised also meant it was approved for everyone. Sorry.

Oh, no worries - it is confusing. As a public health researcher, I am even challenged to understand the nuances sometimes. We’re all just feeling our way through this very unique situation!

 

[missy]

FYI.

COVID-19 Boosters: The Latest Advice

A Yale Medicine expert shares what we know and don't know about booster shots for COVID-19.

www.yalemedicine.org

"
Updated: Oct. 6, 2021]
Is a booster shot for your COVID-19 vaccine in your future? While it seems like only yesterday that people were calculating the date they could feel fully protected by their vaccination, now there’s talk that our safety may require another shot in the arm.
In mid-August, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) amended the emergency use authorizations (EUA) for Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna to allow a third dose of their COVID-19 vaccines for certain immunocompromised people. (Pfizer has since been given full authorization for its vaccine for ages 16 and up.)
The list for those who are immunocompromised and are eligible for a third dose include solid organ transplant recipients and those with conditions that give them an equally reduced ability to fight infections and other diseases. A third dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines may increase protection in this vulnerable population, according to data the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) evaluated.
Then, in September, the FDA authorized—and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended—a booster of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for people 65 and up, residents of long-term care settings, and people 50 to 64 with underlying medical issues; the booster is recommended at least six months after receiving the second dose of the primary series.
Additionally, the CDC says a booster dose of Pfizer-BioNTech may be recommended for people 18 to 49 with underlying medical issues, and for people 18 to 64 whose profession may put them at higher risk of exposure to COVID-19. That last group of people can include health care workers, teachers, and others.

“People get confused—or they think something is wrong—when guidance changes with COVID-19, but we have to remember that we are learning about this as we go.”
— Albert Shaw, MD, PhD, Yale Medicine infectious diseases expert

The booster dose of Pfizer is still under an emergency use authorization (EUA) and federal agencies are expected to weigh in on boosters for the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines at a future time. In granting the EUA for a Pfizer booster, the FDA says it analyzed safety data from the vaccine’s original clinical trial as well as real-world data on its efficacy over time from sources including Pfizer, the CDC, United Kingdom, and Israel
The booster conversation is gaining urgency as we watch the Delta variant surge among unvaccinated individuals and health officials around the country report low but growing numbers of breakthrough cases in fully vaccinated individuals which, though they tend to be asymptomatic or mild, are of growing concern.
COVID-19 booster shots are not a new idea. Since the vaccines were first introduced last December, scientists have acknowledged that boosters may someday be needed. This would mean a third dose of vaccine from Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna, or a second dose of Johnson & Johnson, which are the three approved vaccines in the U.S.
“The main question is how long the immunologic protection against SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19, lasts,” says Albert Shaw, MD, PhD, a Yale Medicine infectious disease specialist. “And since we are learning about COVID-19 in real time, this is hard to know.”
For now, Dr. Shaw emphasizes that the most important thing any of us can do is get vaccinated. And if you are already vaccinated, know that the situation is being closely monitored by the scientific and public health communities.
“The booster question is being worked out as we speak,” Dr. Shaw says, noting that the open possibility of the need for a booster shot doesn’t represent a failure of the existing vaccines. “People get confused—or they think something is wrong—when guidance changes with COVID-19, but we have to remember that we are learning about this as we go. Right now, there is uncertainty about boosters. Is it possible you’ll need one at some point? Sure, especially if more people don’t get vaccinated and other variants emerge that are worse than what we have now and can possibly evade the protections of the current vaccines.”
We compiled a list of booster-related questions to ask Dr. Shaw. His answers are below.

What is a booster?​

“The simplest answer is that it’s just another dose of a vaccine you received,” Dr. Shaw explains. “The concept is to prolong protective immunity, particularly if there is evidence that protection is waning after a period of time.”
Most children receive routine vaccinations, including boosters, for illnesses such as chickenpox, tetanus, diphtheria, mumps, measles, and rubella—to name a few. “These vaccine series, as we call them, are recommended because you need the extra doses to get longer lasting protective immunity,” Dr. Shaw says.
There is also a technical distinction between the terms “third dose” and “booster.”
Doctors use the term third dose when referring to people with compromised immune systems who may not have gotten the level of protection they need from the first two doses. The third dose provides that level of immunity.
A booster shot is recommended due to concern that the effectiveness of the vaccine decreases over time and may not protect against a new strain, such as Delta. A booster may be given to older people or those with chronic medical conditions or other risk factors.

Why might we need a booster for COVID-19?​

While a booster sometimes is an exact replica of the initial vaccine, it can also be tweaked. With COVID-19, this is key because the vaccine could then be tailored to target particular variants of the virus.
“The current vaccines are still effective against the variants we are now seeing, particularly for protecting against serious illness that would require hospitalization or cause death. But if the virus evolves further and there is a worse variant, the vaccine could be modified,” Dr. Shaw says.
One of the great things about the mRNA technology, which the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines use, Dr. Shaw notes, is that it’s easy to change them up to match variants, and they can be quickly produced at scale. “This is different from the manufacturing process for the most commonly used flu vaccines, which is a much slower process because influenza virus strains need to be grown in chicken eggs, from which a particular viral protein is purified and formulated into a vaccine,” he says.
But what about the Johnson & Johnson vaccine? In September, Johnson & Johnson released data about a booster to its original one-dose vaccine, saying a second dose given two months after the first increased protection against COVID-19 to 94% and that it increases antibody levels by four to six times compared to one dose alone.
The FDA in October received an application for a J&J booster, and it is reviewing data from Moderna for a booster to its vaccine.
“The J&J vaccine uses a specific virus called adenovirus 26, which is engineered to be unable to reproduce itself to introduce a version of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein—the target of the mRNA vaccines—into cells to generate a protective immune response,” Dr. Shaw says. “The possibility that an immune response against this ‘carrier’ adenovirus 26 during the first J&J vaccine could result in decreased effectiveness of a booster with the same J&J vaccine is also being addressed in ongoing clinical studies.”

How will we know if we need a booster?​

It is normal for virus-fighting antibodies—such as those that are stimulated by a COVID-19 vaccine—to wane over time. Monitoring antibody levels in the blood is one way to measure vaccine efficacy and research has found that protection remains high for six months after the second shot of a Pfizer or Moderna vaccine.
“You can certainly look at antibody levels, and that does offer some indication of how much protection lasts. But even if they have waned, that doesn’t necessarily mean the body’s capacity to respond to exposure is gone,” Dr. Shaw says. “One of the most amazing parts of the immune system is immunologic memory of past infections or vaccines. If you are re-exposed to something [via a booster shot, that follows the original exposure by vaccination], the memory response is even more vigorous than the original. This memory response includes antibody responses, but also includes an additional arm of the immune system controlled by a different group of white blood cells called T cells or T lymphocytes.”
T cell immune responses are especially important for viral infections like those with SARS-CoV-2, but are more difficult to study than antibody responses outside of a research laboratory setting, adds Dr. Shaw. “However, T cell responses may prove to be just as important as antibody responses in protecting against infection or against serious disease requiring hospitalization,” he says.

Could you mix and match vaccines in a booster?​

So-called “mixing and matching” of vaccines (a first dose of Pfizer, followed by a second dose of Moderna, for example, to complete the mRNA two-dose series) has been used in Europe and other places, particularly when there were supply issues. And there have been recent studies suggesting this approach—with one dose of AstraZeneca’s vaccine (which is not available in the U.S.) and one dose of Pfizer’s vaccine—may even offer more vigorous protection. But here in the U.S., the current public health recommendations are that people should stick with one type of mRNA vaccine for both doses.
But what about for boosters—if they are recommended, should you stick with your original kind?
“That is being evaluated right now. The NIH [National Institutes of Health] is sponsoring a study that is ongoing and hopefully, we will have answers to that,” Dr. Shaw says.

Could a booster cause more or worse side effects?​

If you were among the unlucky recipients who felt really ill or had any of the rare but largely harmless reactions to your initial COVID-19 vaccination, you may be leery of the idea of a third dose, in case it causes a similar or worse reaction.
“Hopefully, we will have information from the ongoing studies on whether there is any change in rates of adverse effects with boosters,” Dr. Shaw says. “It’s reassuring that for the vast majority of individuals, the currently used vaccines have been safe, and if I had to guess, I would say rates of any problems would remain very low.”

Should we first be vaccinating the world?​

There is also a moral element to the question of booster shots, with some public health officials saying the focus should be on vaccinating more of the world’s population first before giving supplementary doses to those who already have some protection.
Dr. Shaw says he understands this sentiment. “On this planet, we are all interdependent and we can see that many of these variants originated outside the U.S. That certainly speaks to the need to vaccinate the world, especially to drive down infection rates that support the emergence of new variants," he says. "Ultimately, this is what needs to be done to end the pandemic.”
"

 

[Dancing Fire]

6 months ago I told all my friends there will be a booster shot coming in the fall. They all thought I was crazy back then.

 

[LilAlex]

We are right back to confusing and contrary messaging.
Not that we ever left it totally but now its just at stupid level again.
Get a booster, no dont get a booster, next week, next month, six months,8 months,next year, other countries already doing them. oh my. I dont think this could be any bigger of a cluster*bleep* if they tried.

Who exactly makes the global pandemic rules? Even the national ones? What did the Constitution have to say about this? Would all the angry America-First'ers really want this decision to be made one-size-fits-all for all nations by the WHO? Would they follow that global advice?

There is some good faith that must exist on both sides -- rule-makers and rule-followers. I really struggle with people who complain about the inconsistent vaccine/booster/mask/distancing messaging over time. We now know how this has evolved -- but no one knew at the outset. Part of the reason this pandemic has been so unpredictable is the unfathomable stupidity of half the "rule-followers."

This is science, not marketing. "Consistent messaging" is not a goal in science.

First we were told to turn off the lights. Then we were told to switch to CFL. Then we were told to switch to LED. It's kinda like that. Why didn't they just tell us to switch to LED in the first place? Because that bulb did not exist in a form factor or price-point amenable to mass implementation.

 

[Karl_K]

Who exactly makes the global pandemic rules? Even the national ones? What did the Constitution have to say about this? Would all the angry America-First'ers really want this decision to be made one-size-fits-all for all nations by the WHO? Would they follow that global advice?

There is some good faith that must exist on both sides -- rule-makers and rule-followers. I really struggle with people who complain about the inconsistent vaccine/booster/mask/distancing messaging over time. We now know how this has evolved -- but no one knew at the outset. Part of the reason this pandemic has been so unpredictable is the unfathomable stupidity of half the "rule-followers."

This is science, not marketing. "Consistent messaging" is not a goal in science.

First we were told to turn off the lights. Then we were told to switch to CFL. Then we were told to switch to LED. It's kinda like that. Why didn't they just tell us to switch to LED in the first place? Because that bulb did not exist in a form factor or price-point amenable to mass implementation.

No one should care what "who" says.
They are way to compromised by China.

My point was is it to much to ask for the WH, cdc and Fauci to be on the same messaging?
I am not talking about changing over time I was talking about 3 different messages at the same time.
Then is you add the ones in it for the money like the vaccine producers its even more messy.

 

[seaurchin]

I will definitely get the booster when I can. It is the only way to stop this terrible pandemic and it's now been well proven to be extremely safe and effective, period. There should be no question about it. Those responsible for the shocking, stunning amount of dangerous, anti-science disinformation, confusion and doubt about it have their own dark agenda and belong in prison for it.

 

[missy]

Moderna Booster for Certain Populations Sails Through FDA Panel

All thumbs up, despite small sample size, data quality issues

www.medpagetoday.com

“

Moderna Booster for Certain Populations Sails Through FDA Panel​

— All thumbs up, despite small sample size, data quality issues​

by Molly Walker, Deputy Managing Editor, MedPage Today October 14, 2021

An FDA advisory panel recommended emergency use authorization (EUA) of a booster dose of Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine for adults ages 65 and older, as well as for younger adults with high-risk medical conditions or at high risk of occupational or institutional exposure.
On Thursday, the FDA's Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC) voted 19-0 that the known and potential benefits of a booster dose outweighed the known and potential risks in these populations.

Most committee members were supportive of the idea of a booster dose, though several questioned how thin the sponsor's submission package was.
Moderna presented data from a phase II trial, P201, where participants were randomized to receive either a two-dose 50 μg series, 100 μg series, or placebo (part A), and then a 50 μg booster dose (part B).
Overall, 149 adults who received the two-dose 100 μg series (the dose authorized under EUA) plus the booster dose were evaluated for immunogenicity.
While "immunobridging analyses against the D614G strain met the pre-specified success criteria for the [geometric mean titers] ratio," FDA staff added that with regard to seroresponse rates after the booster dose, "the pre-specified success criterion was not."
Despite voting yes, Patrick Moore, MD, of the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, called out the poor quality data submitted by the sponsor, saying that it required an explanation from the FDA.

"I've got real issues with this vote ... [it's] more of a gut feeling rather than really truly serious data," he said. "I think it's very important that companies coming to VRBPAC ... really take seriously that we need to see good, solid data, and it needs to be explained well."
Moore added that while the data were not strong, "it is certainly going in a direction that is supportive of this vote."
Indeed, committee members were more impressed with the real-world Israeli data on Pfizer boosters, which found that not only did a booster dose show improved protection against infection in individuals ages 16 and up, and improved protection against severe disease in adults ages 40 and up, it came with minimal adverse events.
"I find the Israeli data compelling," said Mark Sawyer, MD, of the University of California San Diego. "Although the amount of safety data presented by the company was very minimal, I take some reassurance from the 1.5 million citizens who received the vaccine."

The safety population in Moderna's P201 trial was 344 participants, but only 171 received the primary series, which raised some eyebrows among VRBPAC members. However, Israeli data on Pfizer's vaccine found that the risk of myocarditis was no higher following the third dose than the second dose.
And when questioned by committee members about the low sample size for safety, FDA staff confirmed that was adequate for an EUA.
"One would need a significantly larger database by orders of magnitude, and that is for post-authorization to address," said Doran Fink, MD, PhD, of the FDA.
Peter Marks, MD, PhD, director of the FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, also noted that the agency will continue to study myocarditis, "looking at our large database" and make sure incidence is not "excessive" once the vaccine is deployed.
Some questions arose about the third population being voted on -- those adults ages 18-64 with high risk of occupational or institutional exposure -- specifically, the idea that they are at increased risk of severe disease is not "evidence-based."

However, James Hildreth, MD, of Meharry Medical College in Nashville, commented that frontline jobs, such as grocery store clerks, are "Black and brown people who are more likely to have underlying conditions to put them at severe risk," he said.
Other committee members agreed that those groups should be included in the vote, and FDA staff urged the committee to be as specific as possible with their recommendations "to allow flexibility in making the vaccine available under EUA to individuals for whom it can provide benefit," Fink said.
The FDA does not have to follow the advice of its advisory committees, but it often does
“

 

[smitcompton]

Hi,

Got my pfizer booster yesterday along with the flu shot. Arms a little sore. But, I'm relieved I got the shots.

Annette