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

Expert Opinions on Waiting

Several experts, including⁣ Peter Shin-Hong, ⁢an infectious disease expert at the University of ‍California, San Francisco, plan to‍ wait a ⁤few weeks before ⁢getting the vaccine. ⁣”I’m not going to ⁤rush to get the vaccine. I’m more worried ‌about winter than summer,” he says.

US FDA Approval and Availability

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.