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The FDA just approved the updated COVID-19 vaccines, as we reach the peak of the summer COVID surge.
@luckytran@med-mastodon.comUpdated COVID vaccines are an important layer of protection: they reduce of severe illness, they reduce the risk of Long COVID, and they reduce your chances of getting and spreading COVID. It's always important to keep up-to-date on your vaccines. They aren't 100% effective, so it's still a good idea to use other layers like masks too.
The timing of getting an updated COVID vaccine is tricky. Ideally the government should give them twice a year ahead of surges, not once-a-year in the middle of a surge.
COVID vaccines are most effective in first 3 months, so when to get the updated version isn't a simple choice. If you get it now, it will help with the last part of this summer wave, but you won't have max protection during the winter wave, so it may make sense to wait till fall.
@luckytran
It's simple really, always have a rolling version available. With the most dominant strain of the moment.
Allow people to get shots as often as needed.
Unfortunately though we have let this virus evolve to a point where infection protection is almost completely gone.
But still having an always-updated shot would be better than where we are now, months to years late.
@luckytran
Thanks for this guidance!
my doc explicitly told me to wait for the fall one since it will be more protective with the updated coverage.
@luckytran The graph lacks alt text. I suggest the following:
"Graph showing the past year of SARS-COV-2 viral activity level in the United States, with peaks in December 2023 and August 2024."
(The graph doesn't specifically say what country's data is shown, but the regions listed hinted at it being the United States, so I took a guess and included that as the location.)
What would stop someone from getting it now, and then again in 3 months?
@theantlady @luckytran We in the USA who are under 65 are only allowed one per year.
I just have to ask the question, but I don't need an answer: who is actually checking?
@theantlady @luckytran I don't know about other states, but pharmacists in California check the state-run database before dispensing the shot. It may be possible to get one by crossing state lines or going to Mexico, I suppose.
@luckytran looks like you are behind by 1 yr in getting same booster here which I missed because of long term covid ...and have to wait 3 months to get after covid