Vaccine booster shots are usually administered several months after the first vaccine or series of vaccines. They are timed in a way that when the protection of the initial vaccines is failing, the booster literally ‘boosts’ the protection.
COVID-19 Booster Shots
In the case of COVID-19 vaccine booster shots, existing ‘antibodies’ get a boost increasing its number.
To begin with, people who are fully vaccinated against the coronavirus have less probability of serious illness and death. But even the highly-effective vaccines have an expirationdate. This is when the booster shots come into play.
Why Get the Booster?
The longevity of coronavirus and its easily spreadable nature means one vaccine might not suffice. Longer periods of exposure to COVID make the vaccines lose their vigor. Hence booster shots are recommended by the medical community. Getting a booster will help our body to continue fighting the virus. Booster supercharges the vaccine’s effectiveness.
What Booster to Get?
CDC recommends COVID-19 booster shots from Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna for people vaccinated from either of them or the Johnson & Johnson Janssen vaccine.
Who can Get the Booster?
According to the CDC, anyone aged 12 and older is eligible to take the vaccines and the subsequent boosters. CDC especially recommends the first booster dose for aged 12 and more, and the second booster for”
- Adults ages 50 years and older/
- People ages 12 years and older who are moderately or severely immunocompromised.
- People who got the two doses (one primary dose and one booster) of Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine.
Difference Between the Booster and Additional Third Shot
Now the question may arise, ‘why can’t I just get another shot of the COVID vaccine? Why wait for booster shots to be in circulation?’
The main difference between COVID-19 booster shot and the additional COVID vaccine is that one boosts up the diminishing antibodies, while the other produces the immunity/antibodies needed. Hence it is advisable that people with weaker immune systems take additional shots of the vaccine before taking the booster. A booster only works if the initial vaccines are taken and antibodies/immunity is present in the human system.
Common Myths and Facts
MYTH: The ingredients in COVID-19 vaccines are dangerous.
FACT: Nearly all the ingredients in COVID-19 vaccines are also ingredients in many foods—fats, sugars, and salts.
MYTH: The natural immunity I get from being sick with COVID-19 is better than the immunity I get from vaccination.
FACT: Getting a COVID-19 vaccination is a safer and more dependable way to build immunity against the virus than getting sick with COVID-19.
MYTH: COVID-19 vaccines cause variants.
FACT: COVID-19 vaccines do not create or cause variants of the virus. Instead, COVID-19 vaccines can help prevent new variants from emerging.
MYTH: COVID-19 vaccines contain microchips.
FACT: COVID-19 vaccines do not contain microchips. Vaccines are developed to fight against disease and are not administered to track your movement.
MYTH: Receiving a COVID-19 vaccine can make you magnetic.
FACT: Receiving a COVID-19 vaccine will not make you magnetic, including the site of vaccination which is usually your arm.
