Should travelers get another COVID booster before traveling?
BOSTON - Dr. Mallika Marshall is answering your medical questions. If you have a question, email her or message her on Facebook or Twitter.
A viewer, Janice, writes, "I am 71 years old and will be traveling to France and Spain in early September. My most recent booster was in September of 2022. Should I get another booster now before my trip or wait until the newer fall boosters come out so that I'll be immunized before winter?"
We've been seeing an uptick in COVID-19 cases in the past couple of weeks, a little mid-summer surge, but hopefully, those numbers are starting to trend downward. But the answer to your question is not straightforward. The bivalent booster, which became available last fall, is not as effective against the XBB Omicron subvariant that is currently causing the vast majority of infections now. A newer booster, which will become available this fall, should provide greater protection against these new strains.
If you are otherwise healthy and not severely immunocompromised, you can probably wait for the updated booster this fall, keeping in mind that you should take general precautions while traveling to avoid infection as much as possible. If you, however, are at very high risk, you might want to get another bivalent booster now and then the updated booster in a few months before the winter surge. I would ask your personal physician about this one as there are several factors to take into consideration.
Dr. Mallika is offering her best advice, but as always, consult your personal doctor before making any decisions about your personal health.