Not only are we still living in a pandemic, but we are also still arguing with people about the vaccine. Inexplicably, people see the fact that Covid numbers rising as an excuse not to seek the medical protection provided. The argument being used by the – right-to-get-Coviders I guess – is that people are getting Covid so obviously the vaccines are ineffective. Counter-point: those who are vaccinated aren’t dying, you lumps of expired soft cheese.
But, because the virus has been allowed to move from host to host, it’s mutated and gained strength. And now that jerk omicron is snaking around with the BA. 4 and BA. 5 variants, which are putting people back in the hospital. Oh my gawd, folks – I am so tired. The good news is that scientists are working on a booster that will target the new variants. The bad news is we aren’t getting it until the fall. So, should you get a booster now, or wait for the BA. 4 & 5 booster? Doctors say now, because there is no downside side to being fully protected.
As Covid cases and hospitalizations rise nationwide, the message from federal health officials about boosters is clear: Don’t wait to get the shot. If you’re eligible, get it immediately.
“The threat to you is now,” Dr. Anthony Fauci, the chief medical adviser to President Joe Biden, said at a media briefing Tuesday. “Getting vaccinated now will protect you now.”
The current shots were designed to address the original strain of the coronavirus. But as the virus has mutated, it has become more and more adept at sneaking past the wall of immunity our bodies have built up — through previous infection, vaccination or both.
Right now, omicron subvariants BA.4 and BA.5 account for more than 80% of cases circulating. Experts say the current shots don’t prevent infection from BA.4 and BA.5 as well. Indeed, breakthrough infections and reinfections are reported regularly.
Experts say the shots can, however, reduce the risk an infected person will develop complications of the virus.
“If you’re eligible for a booster shot, you should get it,” said Dr. Jorge Salinas, an epidemiologist and infectious diseases expert at Stanford University. “Even if it fails to fully protect you against getting infected, it can still be the difference between a mild or severe infection.”
Dr. Robert Hopkins, the director of internal medicine at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock, said he got about a half-dozen calls from people asking that very question one recent morning.
He advises his patients and even colleagues who have queried him on the matter to get the booster now if they’re eligible, because the new vaccines are, at best, at least four months away from public rollout.
“We don’t lose anything by getting vaccinated or boosted now,” Hopkins said. “And we certainly gain protection.”
The White House Covid-19 response coordinator, Dr. Ashish Jha, echoed the advice at Tuesday’s briefing. “Getting vaccinated now will not preclude you from getting a variant-specific vaccine later this fall or winter.
“This is not a trade-off,” he said.
I’ve said it before but let me mention again, I am double-vaxxed and double-boosted and got my @ss handed to me by omicron. I shudder to think what it would’ve done to me if I’d been less protected. The article reminds those that have recently (or ever) had Covid should still get the booster. Having the virus is not a guarantee that you are immune indefinitely. And pediatricians highly recommend children receive their vaccines prior to school. Remember that kids 6mos and up can receive at least one does of the vaccine now. If you need a reminder of the vaxx schedule for your age, please go here.
Why are we having this discussion still? Because even though our population over the age of six months is eligible to be vaccinated, only 67% are vaccinated. 67%! I know there are those who cannot get vaccinated for legitimate reasons. I also know that is only a small portion of the 33% remaining who have not been vaccinated. And of the 67% that are vaccinated, only half of them are boosted. That’s why we are where we are. And why numbers are rising. And why our virus map has gone from green to red and black. So, the official statement has come down: if you live in a densely populated area, start masking indoors again, folks. And please get your boosters.
Photo credit: Backgrid and Getty Images
In my state I am not able to get a second booster, but once I am allowed to I will. Thankfully I have not gotten covid at all yet, but am going to get that fourth shot as soon as I’m allowed access….
I’m in the same position, not eligible for the second one, and had my first booster way back at the end of November. I’ve had 2 extremely close calls but got lucky and haven’t gotten it yet.
I don’t know why they aren’t extending the boosters to under 50 as well, I would definitely get it. I know several people in their 30s and 40s who have had covid in the past few weeks and have been pretty sick.
Yes! I tried to just lie and say I was immunocompromised (don’t judge me, lol – it’s not like their supply is running out because nobody is getting the 4th one!) but they said I needed a medical authorization code (darn).
@lucy2 and C, I’m in the exact same situation. Booster right after thanksgiving. Tried to get the booster, even with a fib, no dice. I’d *love* to get a second booster, even though these shots mess me up for weeks, to the point that I can’t work. Hoping that when omicron boosters become available, they’ll open it up more.
The govt has really mishandled the boosters, imho.
Jensies — how do you think the boosters should have been handled? Do you think things should be more uniform? More tailored to specific locations?
I live in the DC area, so, not only did DC, MD and VA have different policies, different counties each had their own policies as well. While I had no trouble getting access to boosters, I’m wondering how things will go in the Fall when more people might be trying to get them all at once — during the same time- pwindow when people will also be getting flu shots.
I’m under 50 and I got my booster before traveling. At first I couldn’t make an appointment online because I didn’t technically qualify, but when I called the pharmacy they said just show up and ask. That’s what I did and they gave me a booster (since my last one was in October).
And I’ll get one again when they upgrade it.
We had a scare with my young son (who was vaccinated in January when they opened it to his age group) but he is still not allowed to be boostered yet because not enough time has elapsed. Another baby in his childcare came down with it this week and spiked a 104 fever out of nowhere. Of course his family went to a giant 4th of July party with a large group of firefighter/paramedic families who don’t believe in vaccines. One of those families has a mom who is a hospice nurse (let that sink in – she’s a HOSPICE NURSE) who hasn’t been vaccinated. Of course it was a superspreader event and now like 50 people from the party are sick, putting my child at risk. I’m pissed. I’m more than pissed but I can’t think of a word that’s more than pissed.
Incensed? Irate? Livid? Seething?
Hope you and yours remain well. People are so fkn stupid, it really is astounding.
“I am double-vaxxed and double-boosted”
Me too!!! As soon as the next booster is available, I will be first in line to get a third booster.
Same here, BTB, as SOON as we hear, I’m calling for that appt.
Same. Four shots in and I’ll be queueing for #5 as soon as it’s available. I never stopped masking, and I see so few people doing the same. I’m so fkn tired of it all.
NotSoSocialB, I’ve never stopped masking either. I would say the people who are masking are the seniors–not all of them, but you don’t see very many younger in masks. I figure that I’m so used to it at this point I may never stop. I like not getting colds!!
Once that booster is ready, I’m ready for #5.
S & S – no colds or flu, and my spring allergies were much easier to take, even if I didn’t mask up when out walking, exercising outdoors this year as I did last year, just wearing it running errands, in and out of stores seems to have helped.
It’s so frustrating that people have been dopes – willfully angrily ignorant about this refusing to vaccinate, wear masks – allowing COVID to mutate and get the upper hand again. And it’s shameful that Americans have let ample vaccines go to waste while other countries are still struggling with supply issues.
Studies have been put out that once white people learned that Black and Brown people were the ones mostly hit and dying from this virus, they stopped caring.
That is why we are still where we are.
That’s awful.
Tiffany, that’s horrific. Are people that racist and or is it stupidity because they figure they’re white so why bother they won’t die?
Can you provide any proof of this claim?
Love how you just lumped all white people into that statement.
All of us whites want all of you browns and blacks to die!
You heard it here first from Tiffany!
This site is losing the plot and the comments are becoming so unhinged!
My sister caught covid from a coworker. She’s vaxxed and boosted. She had a high fever for one day and she told me she felt she had a bad cold. She told me she was glad she was vaccinated because it could have been worse. Her spouse isn’t but he didn’t get too sick thankfully just a fever. I am going out of the country in 2 weeks and I took my a$$ yesterday to get my 2nd booster. I’m not messing around and thankfully the airline I’m flying requires mask wearing.
I’m fully vaxxed and boosted and I’m *just* getting over COVID now. It was brutal! Fever, headache, body aches, sore throat, cough, congestion, diarrhea, nausea, reduction in taste/smell – the whole shebang for a full week. I can’t even imagine what it would’ve been like if I wasn’t at least semi-protected.
I think a lot of people are dismissing it because they are mistaking their immune response (cold or flu-like symptoms) for the effects of the disease. They are most definitely not the same.
Me too, just on the tail end of my fun time. /s
I shudder to think of what my case might’ve been like without being vaxxed/boosted. My symptoms were all mild to moderate, and I was still pretty sick. Of course I have no coping skills for being sick anymore, so there is that. I picked it up from work, and there are STILL people who don’t stay home if they are sick! “Just a cold” my ass! Tell that to my positive COVID result, Steve, you old fashioned fart! I’m also Canadian, so it’s an international dumbassery thing.
@ Marguerita
Yeah Canadians (I’m one) are also being stupid about masking. I take my mom to the chiro a few times a week. We mask up. Chiro doesn’t wear a mask nor do any of his patients or office staff. I just don’t understand. You are literally inches from people’s faces all day long, and no mask??? The law says we can’t make him wear one. I rarely see anyone wearing one, yet we are currenly in our 7th wave of this hell. 7th WAVE !!!
I have flown four times in Europe last month and people were NOT REALLY wearing masks on the plane. They are SUPPOSED TO, but no matter how many times crew reminds them, so many slip it under their nose or just decorate their chin. It was a hot mess. Since eating/drinking is allowed, flight attendants have given up. I have almost gotten into fights with people and it was obvious crews are hiding in the back trying to stay away from conflict as much as possible. Spain airports -about half of the passengers stick to the rules and wear mask inside the airport, Germany airports- forget about it. It would be comedy if it wasn’t so tragic. Belgian trains- no masks. German trains/trams, there is a mask mandate but approx. 50% are wearing their masks anywhere BUT their nose/mouth. Supermarkets, mask wearers down to 10%. Especially with Germans, it‘s only about: Is it required? Yes no? The fear is non-existent lately.
German here. I get your frustration but I vacationed in the US in June and it’s the same there? Germans had long and brutal mandated lockdowns, they lasted for months. One in winter. Everything was closed and I do mean everything except supermarkets. We were outside in January, standing far apart but because we were 2 more people than allowed, the cops came. I shit you not. Do I wear my mask indoors? Yes. Do I understand why many people only do the bare minimum? Yes. I finally caught Covid last month and since the fever appeared the day after I had surgery, it really kicked my ass. I cannot wait for the new vaccines. But I‘m too tired to keep pointing at others, however understandable it might be. I‘m just glad I didn’t give it to my elderly mother.
@Emmi yeah I get what you mean- I live in Germany. I travel for work a lot and while I didn‘t like the lockdowns I felt we were free compared to my French, Spanish and Italian friends/colleagues. Both my hairdresser and my nail salon were illegally open during lockdown and many of my neighbors held parties including children‘s bday parties. It was a mess. My neighborhood could have used those police men. I was grateful for everyone who did stick to any rules. At least we could go outside as often as we pleased. I still had to travel for business and it was safer going on a train then then it is now and that makes me sad. My kids‘ friends seemed to move around freely and congregate and my kids were not happy about us not wanting them to hang out with them every day. We did lose someone during that time and it made my kids be more understanding. They did get Covid after school started again but they wore their masks at home when not in their room and spared the rest of the family. My single vaxxed kid was WAY WAY sicker than my double vaxxed child. We have three elderly family members living with us so we stay on alert.
I’m currently with covid (vaxxed 2 times and boosted) .I believe it was a coworker and he’s a careful person too. Happens… 3 days of sore throat and now fever, the weather is so, so, hot.. Now having 100F of fever (38 celsius) and under a heatwave in southern Europe, reaching temperatures also or above 100 F is complicated to say the least… And no, my house doesn’t have AC…
Getting my second booster shot next thursday!
Been waiting for an updated booster, but it’s
obviously not coming anytime soon.
I’m double boosted. Debated on getting the 2nd one until fall but my PNP advised getting it right away because more than likely will need another one come fall and hopefully will be a combo covid/flu shot. Either way, I will continue to get the boosters when available.
Double boosted too and will line up for the next dose whenever it drops. So far, so good for me. I’ve even been in breathing range of pre-positives and managed to escape, thankfully.
It blows me away that when I went into the Century City Mall, a big “target” mall for tourists in the area, I saw maybe 10 people in masks. I think I saw less than 5 in Nordstrom and Bloomies. My KN95 doesn’t come off; I won’t even stop for a bite to eat at an outdoor place where the tables are close together again.
My sister is double vaxxed and boosted (got her 2nd booster in late April), and she had Covid with 11 days of isolation. She still has a LOT of brain fog, and tires very easily; her sense of taste seems to come and go. She FAFO that she needs to wear her mask when she’s indoors with a lot of people (she went to a 5 day conference and did NOT wear a mask inside). My older nephew, also double vaxxed and boosted, got Covid from an OUTDOOR 4th of July party (crowded party: a lot of people there standing close together in an outdoor space).
These new variants are HIGHLY contagious, and NO JOKE. Yes, our vaccines will *hopefull* keep us from getting very sick/hospitalized, but it doesn’t mean we can relax!
JUST AN ADDED PSA FOR TESTING: When you’re testing to see if you are negative after day(s) of positive tests: make SURE you “clean out” your nose well! My sis had “faint” positive lines for 3 days after she was feeling better. She finally cleared her nose (she had some “dried mucous” in there, retested, and it was NEGATIVE. She tested twice over a few hrs. to make sure! Still negative! It seems like ANY RESIDUE can contain traces of the virus that can show up as a positive!
Thanks for the testing tips. I’ve avoided this darn thing for 2 1/2 years, but went unmasked at my daughter’s wedding festivities, rationalizing that it was ‘mostly’ outdoors. Guess what? Fortunately got double boosted before Memorial Day. I didn’t have fever or too bad of a time, but the symptoms linger…
Same thing happened at my friend’s daughter’s wedding a month ago. It was an outdoor ceremony in CO, but the drinks/dinner reception was indoors. Turned into a super-spreader. All the *guests* had the vax/booster, but apparently someone (guest or staff) was asymptomatic. 30 people tested positive, incl. the bride, her father (my friend’s husband), the groom’s parents… What a way to start your married life together, isolated from each other!
I think they said LA County has had an 88% increase in hospitalizations from the month prior (!!!), so we might go back to indoor mask mandates in the near future.
Why do governments wait until it’s too late? Why not try to STOP some of the spread by enforcing mask mandates NOW? I just don’t get it. Mask mandates should have stayed in place until WHO declares this pandemic over. God knows when that will be.
Me, I SO agree with you!! I know they bowed to political pressure over protecting our health.
I refuse to go in ANYWHERE w/out my mask. And I make sure I have a *good* mask: I bought some great ones, with adjustable ear loops from a company called “Well Before”. When my BIL asked to take some, I said sure (of course!) but saw he only left a couple in the basket! So I had to get more quickly from Amazon (can’t get out at just anytime because of my Dad’s care). But the KN95s from Amazon, even though they say “5 ply” feel SO thin, I just reordered from the old company again. They’re a bit pricier, but they *feel* thicker/more substantial, and make me feel safer. I’ll just use the thinner ones doubled for shorter runs out.
I’m unvaccinated and immunecomprised. My whole family, including myself came down with Covid, they are vaccined and boosted. Everybody felt the headaches and sore throat off the bat, compared to my other family members I had more symptoms the high fevers for 2 days, diarrhea, vomiting, body aches, joint pains, cough, and smell and taste was off. Luckliy I called my GP to prescribe Paxlovid after testing postive. The antiviral worked its magic, felt it working that night I started taking it. While on the meds for 5 days, I lost my appetite, the bitterness in your mouth was 24/7, couldn’t wash the bitterness away, taste buds were off and couldn’t taste a thing. Had diarrhea and slight chest pains as minor side effects. Still undecided if I should get vaxx.
@rose
What’s your hesitation to getting the vaccine compared to taking paxlovid? Isn’t that new as well?
I got my second booster two days ago and have mild ‘Covid arm’. Three cheers for my immune system!! So glad to see it working 🙂
Double-vaxed & double-boosted here as well. I also keep the CDC’s Covid by County in my computer favorites & check it weekly (it gets updated weekly). If it says community levels are high, wear a mask indoors, I wear a mask indoors–eg., when grocery shopping. I am heartened to see I’m not the only one doing this, too.
The hubs and I got our boosters last week. He needs it, and I get it to protect him. November is too long to wait for a second booster shot. We live in a red h*llhole state so there are plenty of shots. Also plenty of covid going around. Come on covid do your job! (jk)
It wasn’t too bad, just some headache/fever chills on night 1. Better by day 2 etc. My immune system still hates the protein spike, so worth it!
I have it now and I have had all the shots and boosters and it is not fun. I’ll be wearing my mask again in public when that ever happens again.
Does anyone know if you’ve had covid this summer if that “counts” as a booster shot until the fall? It went through our family in June before 2nd boosters were approved for our demographics. We’ll all definitely get the next booster that protects against these newer variants when it’s available but the one positive of having covid is having some antibodies for a few months right?
From what I’ve heard it does offer some protection but not for very long – the doctors on the news here have said everything from 2-4 months. I’d say if you just got it you’d probably be okay till the early fall, but then I’m not a doctor lol.
Personally, I’m waiting until they come out with an Omicron-specific vaccine. I’ve had three shots and in my situation don’t really see the utility of getting a 4th if it’s not going to protect as well against the dominant strain. (Please no-one yell at me, hahaha. I’m not an anti-vaxxer I swear!)
I get this. I’m in my 30s and where I am it *just* opened up for people 50+ to receive their 2nd booster. By the time I’m allowed to in a few months I might just decide to wait as well.
They should have never gotten rid of mask mandates. I hate seeing people not wearing masks. They give me a funny look. I double mask. Sorry if me wearing a mask reminds you that we are still in a pandemic (that is actually getting worse). I have said no to many parties/celebrations I’ve been invited to. I don’t care if you’re mad at me. Call me paranoid. I. Don’t. Care.
THIS. Just bought KN95 Masks to coordinate with all my outfits. And am double boosted.
Mask up, people.
Damn right I color-coordinate with my outfits and finally found some colored masks that were (formerly) FDA approved. It’s hard to find out if they are or not.
Thanks for giving this message your platform. We need to work together on this.
Vaxxed, double boosted.. haven’t got it yet but can’t wait until the new one comes out in the fall. I travel constantly for work, mask up as much as possible. I’m the only one in my friend group and work group who has not caught it yet. I have friends who had mild symptoms but long Covid, who have caught it multiple times etc. recently hospitalized (but were under 40, vaxxed and generally healthy lifestyle). It’s still dangerous people! My anxiety has gone through the roof and I’m so disappointed at how everyone around me has just seemed to not care. I’m consistently the only one, or one of a few wearing a mask as I fly.
I don’t have the 2nd booster as I don’t qualify. My coworker was vaxxed and boosted and got Covid. She says it wasn’t that bad but she looked like hell when she came back after testing negative. How she looked and acted told a different story.
American living in Toronto. I still wear my mask everywhere indoors and with my personal trainer (he wears one too) and hairdresser/nail tech (they both wear them also). I havent been to the US in 2 1/2 years because I feel like I wouldnt feel comfortable going anywhere because of everyone I know down there is getting covid a 2nd time. I havent had it once yet. Double vaxxed and boosted once. Wondering if I should wait out omicron variant vax or just vax now. I only eat indoors 1-2 times per month in a not crowded restaurant and am still working from home.
I’m in the GTA and I just got COVID 🙁 I’ve been pretty consistent about masking and cleaning my workstation, although I think I was getting a bit lax about diligently washing my hands upon arriving home. I’d get boosted if you’re able to – I think this new variant is highly transmissible; I mistakenly thought summer would be better.
My parents live in NY, just traveled to TN and just returned and tested positive for covid. First time they have had it. Summer is no better this year.
Andrea, I would urge you to get that second booster now. The very new variant of Omicron is putting people in the hospital and there are deaths–this virus just keeps learning. I’ve read that this Fall (perhaps) there will be new vaccines/boosters that will address other variants. I can’t wait, either. In the meantime, please protect yourself as much as possible. It’s an incredibly contagious variant and a second booster should help you from getting really sick.
I’m not eligible for a second booster but I will once I get the ok. My parents recently got covid (both vaccinated and booster) and it really hit my dad hard. My husband and I have thankfully never gotten it but at this point I feel it’s only a matter of time.
I ended up getting a 2nd booster last Friday. My reasoning is that lots of people I know that are 2 or 3x vaccinated that are getting sick now are getting hit hard. I know that another booster would not prevent an infection, but I am hoping it minimizes how harsh the eventual infection would be on my body. Further, the updated vaccines aren’t going to be ready until maybe October, which is not accounting for production/distribution delays or prioritizing certain groups and occupations (e.g. healthcare workers and 65+ first). If I take into account that the CDC recommends 4 months in between boosters, that would put me ready for another shot the first Friday in November. So I say if any one is considering doing a 2nd booster, now would be the time.
My doctor told me to wait for second booster when we get to high level. He said second booster wanes after four weeks. I have lupus so the advice was for optimal immunity at the time. Now, we are in high cases. I have to wait until next week. I have started masking again too.
I’m thoroughly vaccinated and boostered. Alas, I tested positive at the beginning of the week. Now I’m terrified I’m going to give it to my son and husband. They called their works. BOTH PLACES told them thanks. And they’re going to work. 😐
My oldest called me, worried, but I said I was okay, and everyone was notified. That’s when he told me something that made me vomit. I’ve mentioned my first husband, married a measly five years until I left his Neanderthal ass. Apparently, he’s had covid more than TEN TIMES. He gets sick, gets his meds and simply continues living his normal life working, errands, bars, whatever. Never tells anyone. I’m thankful he’s regarded as a selfish dumbass by his oldest son. He’s got one by another. Another by another. And another by another. And he’s a MAGAT.
I hope you get over it quickly! and a giant WTF to your first husband.
I think part of the issue we’re still in this (besides people like him lol) is what you said about workplaces. There used to be a sense of “if you’re sick, stay home” during the pandemic and now we’ve pivoted back to our old ways so to speak. If you’re sick, eh take some meds and come to work. Eh your wife has a really contagious disease? Oh well, just go to work and we’ll all hope for the best.
I couldn’t believe it. I can’t believe any of this. And these meds are no joke. I can’t escape the metal taste. And how can anyone go to work like this? And who could shake someone’s hand or sit down somewhere inside with other people if you know you have covid? Someday, hopefully someday in my lifetime, humanity will become something precious?
Some people who take Paxlovid had symptoms reappear two to eight days after finishing the treatment and testing negative (this is according to the CDC). It happened to a friend of mine. Had three glorious days of feeling ok, then it hit him between the eyes again, even stronger.
My sister got the Rx but decided to wait to see how hard it would hit her first. If it wasn’t bad, she wouldn’t fill it due to this rebound affect. Thankfully, she didn’t feel ill enough to use it, but she does have some lingering Covid effects.
@ Mabs A’Mabbin
Your ex-husband seems like a real piece of work. What a selfish a$$hole. I can’t stand people like him. I agree wtih your comment about humanity. Humans f*cking suck.
Man Mabs, your ex is a walking super-spreader event, all by himself.
So glad you don’t have to share your life with him anymore.
Hope you and your family come through this okay
My daughter had Covid in January. She was sick last week (luckily not Covid again), but her doctor told her most people are only protected for about 2 months after having the virus. The more you get it the higher the chances of long Covid symptoms and issues.
Not even A month any more, people are now getting it again after 20 days. This is a fucking nightmare.
Jennifer the issue is with the new variant, neither previous COVID nor the current vaccines prevent infection. But for many the vaccines at least DO help ward off severe illness, reduce the chance of death, and with the previous “prior infection is protection” things are changing. (Not sure what their impact is on reducing chances of long COVID or reducing a person’s ability to spread it once infected… it used to cut the risks, but BA-5 is a different scarier beastie)
Since the start, the whole thing has been about *reducing* risks … nothing can 100% eliminate them … you get unlucky with ONE vector, one source of infection that’s enough, one complication that’s too much for your body and that’s it. (See the elderly couple in Maine who were isolating, not leaving their house, but had someone dropping off supplies to them who had decided to go to a wedding a few days before… which turn out to be a super-spreader event causing an outbreak and multiple deaths)
But given the opportunity to reduce one’s risk of getting it, getting really sick from it, or spreading it, taking advantage of those easy opportunities (masking, keeping up with vaccinations, testing before gathering, avoiding crowds, isolating if infected etc) is a good idea. But a lot of people are taking “doesn’t prevent it 100% of the time for 100 % of the people” as a green-light excuse to do as they please, deadly pandemic or no.
I haven’t gotten my second booster yet (I’m not sure if I’m eligible in my state, the last I checked I wasn’t) but I really want it.
ooh I just checked! I’m not eligible in my state but the government website says:
” allowed to self-attest to eligibility. COVID-19 vaccine providers cannot turn away any individual who self-attests to eligibility for an additional dose or booster dose. Failure of an individual to “show proof” of eligibility may not be a reason that a provider does not administer an additional or booster dose.”
so it seems that I could “self attest” to eligibility? I feel kind of squirmy doing that, I don’t have any immune issues that would qualify, but if the boosters are there and not being used…..what do we think CBers?
I’ve already had COVID and it wasn’t that bad, I mean it wasn’t great, it felt like a bad cold and I was wiped out for about a week, but I know it could have been a lot worse.
Try and see if you can register online with a local CVS. That’s what I did for my 2nd booster. Got an appt., went in with my vaccine card, they gave me the shot, recorded it, and I was on my way.
I say: Go for it! If it will make you feel better, get an appointment near the end of the day, so you can reassure yourself that you’re protecting yourself and the community by using a dose from an open vial, that would have been wasted if you hadn’t stepped up.
Also, read the list of qualifying risk factors, and ask yourself if you, or anyone that you share space with is likely to be at risk. Right now, while there are amply vaccines available, is a good time to get one.
It’s winter now where I am and Covid is still with us. Plus due to lockdown over last winter people are getting flu due to not being exposed to flu germs last winter. So my suggestion is get a flu jab too once it’s autumn and wear a mask. One last thought? If you feel unwell? Stay home!
Flu jab, COVID booster and pneumonia vaccine if you’re eligible.
Because if you get a breakthrough infection from either of the first two, you do NOT want the third one taking you down. Plus pneumonia on its own can be nasty… and anything we can all do to be one fewer person seeking care from an overloaded and/or burnt out health care system where ever we are is a good thing.
Fully vaccinated and one booster and have Covid. It is no joke. It ran through my family like a freight train with each person having a different experience. I have been sick for a week and for three of those days was utterly miserable. A fever you can’t get rid of, headache, sore throat, exhaustion, and the cough. The cough is brutal. Makes me so angry because we never stopped wearing masks – was called an idiot by a woman at the grocery store for wearing it while out with my disabled daughter! – and it still got us. I truly cannot imagine how much sicker I would have been without the vaccine and booster. I made the clearly wrong decision to wait for the second booster thinking summer would be pretty safe (we are not traveling or doing any particularly risky things). From now on I’ll get every shot they want to give me!
Just an FYI on testing: we were sick and kept testing negative. I did some reading and saw that people recommended swabbing the throat instead of the nose. Did that and got a positive. Never tested positive with the nasal swab, only the throat. So if you have any symptoms maybe swab your throat too, just to be sure.
I am vaxxed and boosted. I caught Covid about 1.5 months ago, so I’m cautiously l optimistic about my immunity for the next two months. Hopefully, by fall the vaccines should be ready for my group and I will gladly get it. I have too many high-risk people to lose to even risk it. I don’t get the selfishness.
I am not eligible for a second booster yet and by the time I am, I’m guessing the new updated vaccine will be in circulation. I was last boosted in December.
I got covid twice in 6 weeks, yes that is a real thing. Got it for the first time this past May from my dad and I was nearly asymptomatic (my dad was not and put on Paxlovid as he is 60+, made a full recovery and he is vaccinated). Only knew I had it due to a positive PCR and because I live with my dad. For a few weeks after though I had very irritating throat inflammation and felt like it was on fire. Chalked it up to a form of long covid, after about a month it went away.
I went to a wedding 6 weeks later in June (a wedding already twice delayed by covid btw) and about 2 days later started feeling cold symptoms. I expected to get sick because I had only had 1 cold so far during the pandemic. Took a rapid test just in case and it lit up immediately. I was floored. My second experience with covid was more like a nasty sinus infection, had 2 really bad days but overall it lasted about a week and I’m fine now. A bunch of my other friends got sick too after the wedding but supposedly their tests came back negative though I suspect more were positive than they realized. The bride sent out an email after the wedding stating 3 guests reported testing positive for covid (me being one of the cases) but I suspect there were way more. Literally everyone I know was getting covid in June again, including the bride and groom 2 weeks before the wedding (they cut it REAL close and avoided having to cancel the wedding altogether that they had twice delayed). Just assume any large indoor event you go to right now will be a super spreader event and you absolutely can get covid twice in 6 weeks.
Also wanted to add if you are traveling anywhere (especially by plane) in the next few weeks, you are probably going to get covid. Everyone I know who has traveled recently out of state/country has gotten it. My mom, who avoided getting covid from my dad in May by quarantining at her apartment in Boston, got it a month later when my parents traveled to France to see my dad’s family. Ironically she got her second booster right before she left for France. When they arrived, the aunt and uncle supposed to host them couldn’t because they had covid. My mom traveled to and from London on the Eurostar so probably got it while she was there. Since literally everyone in my dad’s family had recently had it, they told my mom it didn’t make sense to quarantine so they all hung out unmasked. My dad didn’t get it a second time so I guess my mom had the same variant he had back in May. So my mom and I both had it at the same time but divided by an ocean. Her experience was similar to mine with the fatigue and sinus infection symptoms.
Just fyi because I see so many people planning international summer trips and BA5 is everywhere.
The airports are crazy busy. I actually don’t understand any of it. All I hear is about inflation, soaring cost of living, people not being able to afford food…yet the airports are packed with folks going on vacation (how are they affording it?). They know the risks but don’t seem to care. A lot of people talk about the pandemic as if it’s in the past. They are being ignorant. They don’t want to hear the truth. They want to live in fantasy land that all is good in the world now.
@ME: I get why people want to travel. We have been in a continuously stressful situation for 2.5 years, and people are absolutely burned out. I know I am. I absolutely need a vacation. I am not able to work anymore. My health is in the gutter. I avoided covid (so far) but I am mentally exhausted to the point of probably losing my job.
At one point one has to weigh the risks of going against the risks of burning out even more. I for one absolutely want to and NEED to go. I need to pay my bills. I need to work. I need to be able to work. I need my body and my mind to unwind from the sh!tshow that was the presidency of the orange dictator, the erasure of female reproductive rights, climate change, the pandemic, the inflation, my employer going bankrupt, and oh, have you heard? There’s not going to be gas in central europe in winter so we have no idea how to not starve in winter.
Do you get why our minds are falling apart?
(I’m probably not going to go. The airports are scary. I don’t know what I will do. I am tired and desperate.)
Vaxxed with one booster and currently in the stuffy throes of Covid. Caught it from my daughter, who my ex opted to *not* vaccinate last month.
We got our second booster today. We were planning to get it in June but we actually got Covid from attending all the graduations my job requires.
Had my yearly physical today. Doctor and all staff masked up. I’m fully vaccinated and boosted. Dr said no travelling, no crowds, mask everywhere and hand wash and distance yourself from people in those times you need to go out. In her office, seeing a surge. Back to 2.5 years ago. This is not over yet. I’m just fed up
I am double vaxxed and got mask lazy, went on vacation and came home to a positive test result for the first time. I have been very ill for ten days and cant believe how very sick I still am. What must it be like to not be vaccinated? I would be scared for my life.This pandemic is far from over and I’ll be back to masking now and first in line for the next booster.
Get well soon. Sorry you are going through this.
Most of my friends who have decided to travel this year came home with a positive test result. I absolutely want to travel, but this scares me.
I just want my parents to get all the boosters they want. I’m happy, delighted, to line up after their generation.