Should seniors get COVID booster shots as soon as possible? Dr. Mallika Marshall answers your questions
BOSTON - Dr. Mallika Marshall is answering your coronavirus-related medical questions. If you have a question, email her or message her on Facebook or Twitter.
Dr. Mallika is offering her best advice, but as always, consult your personal doctor before making any decisions about your personal health.
Dana has a few questions. he writes, "We are seniors. Should we get the new booster as soon as possible? What are the side effects? How long will it last? And how long should we wait to get our annual flu shot?"
If you have received your initial vaccine series, you can get this new booster if at least two months have passed since your last shot, though you might get a better immune response if you wait 4 months. It's hard to predict whether you'll have more or fewer side effects than you had with the other shots. Chances are the side effects will be similar and generally mild. And it will take time to determine whether these boosters will provide lasting protection. The hope is that they will provide additional protection through the winter and possibly even into spring, but a lot depends on whether new variants emerge in the meantime. Some experts are cautiously optimistic that COVID vaccines will soon become annual immunizations, just like the flu vaccines.
And you can get your flu shot on the same day you get your COVID booster. If you decide to wait, you should get your flu vaccine by the end of October. Flu season may arrive early this year.
Cindy says she just had COVID a couple of weeks ago and wonders when she should get the new booster.
Most experts agree that if you have recently had COVID, it makes sense to wait about three months before getting the new booster, which provides additional protection against the Omicron variant. You have already experienced a boost in your immunity, specifically against Omicron. You're also more likely to get a bigger benefit from a booster if you wait a few months after infection.
And Michelle writes, "I would like clarification on the newest CDC guidelines for mask wearing. If you are exposed to someone with COVID, but you yourself test negative and are fully vaccinated and boosted, do you still need to wear a mask around others?"
If you have been exposed to someone with COVID but you do not have symptoms, you should wear a mask around others for 10 days and test at least 5 days after exposure or sooner if you develop symptoms.