Experts advise young, healthy people to consider more potent COVID-19 booster in fall
CHICAGO (CBS) – It may have been a while since you've given much thought to your next COVID-19 booster shot.
But CBS 2's Chris Tye found the topic is likely to move from the back burner to the front before the end of next month.
A vaccine cocktail appears almost ready to be approved that covers the two most potent types of COVID-19 the country has experienced.
And for those under 50 years old and not immunocompromised, this is the next big thing in keeping clear of COVID-19.
If you're like many Americans, there's an urge to "top off" your immune system with a fresh booster shot. Experts say that's the wrong approach.
"When there are really sensitive social matters ... I find that patients, and people in general, they tend to be very hyper vigilant, though sometimes, that's not really necessary," said Dr. Carl Lambert of Rush University Medical Center.
Lambert added residents should consult their doctor, but the rule of thumb from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is best: get vaccinated if you haven't, and get your booster, if you haven't.
Second booster shots are reserved for those age 50 and older and those age 12 and up who are immunocompromised.
For those under 50, you may want to hold off. A second, more potent booster may be coming for you soon.
"So in that age range, you likely can hold off and then talk to your primary care doctor about the right timing for the next shot, whether that's another booster or the new booster that's supposed to come out in the fall," Lambert said.
The new vaccine from Pfizer and Moderna is already going into arms in Great Britain and is expected to be approved and available in the U.S. in mid-September. It's designed to do something prior boosters haven't: target both the Omicron variant and the original coronavirus.
The idea is you can get it with your flu shot ahead of a flu season that could be tricky. But the good news is there's no evidence yet that a potent COVID-19 strain is lurking.
"I wish I had a crystal ball and I could tell you this is going to happen at this date," Lambert said. "So nothing quite that I've heard yet as far as patterns are concerned, I hope is that we don't have broad outbreaks of new strains and this new vaccine covers the predominant sub-types."
Experts say if you have neither receive a vaccine or recovered from COVID-19 since February, getting a booster now is probably the smart play.
The older you are, the more important it is to get a fourth shot, so if you're over 50 years old, particularly well over 50, don't wait for this new vaccine. Experts advise to get another booster as soon as possible.
For those over 50 or who are immunocompromised, expect new CDC guidance on when you should get the new vaccine next month.
