Updated COVID-19 Vaccines: Should You Get a New Dose Now or Wait?

As the number of COVID-19 cases continues to rise in the US and several other countries, updated vaccines are set to become available in pharmacies. Many are left wondering whether to get a new dose now or wait.

According to Carlos Del Rio, a distinguished professor of medicine at‌ Emory University and ⁣an infectious disease specialist, “There is no⁣ easy answer to this question.” Del Rio, who recently contracted COVID-19, notes that his infection made him postpone taking the new dose.

Who Should Get the Vaccine Now?

If you haven’t been exposed to COVID-19 recently, especially if you’re 65 or older, Del Rio recommends getting the vaccine “as soon as ‍possible.” This also applies ‍to people with chronic health conditions that increase⁢ the risk of serious complications.

Who is Most at Risk of Hospitalization or Death?

Dr. Paul‍ Offit, director of ⁤the⁤ Vaccine Education Center‌ at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, identifies ⁣four main categories of people who are most at risk of hospitalization or death from COVID-19:

• Those⁢ who ⁣are immunocompromised
• Those with medical conditions that ⁤put them at higher risk, such ⁣as obesity, diabetes, and chronic liver, ‍lung, or heart disease
• Pregnant women
• The elderly or people over 75 years of age

Should Younger Adults Wait?

Offit and other experts suggest that younger, healthier adults can wait. “Waiting until fall⁤ ensures better protection during respiratory virus season, which typically peaks in December and January,” ‍says Dean of Yale University School of Public Health, Megan Raney.

What to Expect from the New Vaccines

Updated vaccines based on Pfizer and Moderna’s mRNA⁤ technology will be available first, with the Novavax ⁣vaccine coming in a few weeks. New ⁢research shows that people who haven’t been vaccinated against COVID-19 may be at higher risk of developing mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety disorders.

For those hesitant about mRNA vaccines,⁣ Novavax’s protein-based booster shot will be available‌ soon.

Expert Opinions on Waiting

Peter Shin-Hong, an infectious disease expert at the University of California, San Francisco, ‌says he too would wait⁤ a few weeks. “I’m not going to rush ⁢to get the vaccine. I’m​ more worried​ about winter than summer,” he says.

The US Food and Drug Administration has approved the release of new vaccines from Moderna ‌and⁣ Pfizer (in collaboration with BioNTech), which target the KP.2 mutant of the Omicron strain. These doses will be available for people ​older ‍than⁣ 6 months.