Is the booster a different jab?

[Wednesdayafternoon]

Or just a top up/repeat of the first two?
I how my question makes sense!
So I had 2 pfizer in the summer, and then today I had my booster and it was a moderna because "I've already had pfizer". Was the moderna I had today a completely different jab to the first 2 moderna shots you would get if you'd had that vaccine initially or is it a new moderna booster?

It's half a dose for a Moderna booster

Pfizer is the same and I think its a half dose of moderna

My partner had his first jab the other day (long overdue I know, long story/he’s definitely not 14 I promise) and the person on the door kept reiterating to tell the jabbers it was his first so they didn’t give him what they were giving everyone else for boosters

Sorry I'm not sure what you mean by half dose? So is the moderna booster one shot fo the original two?
If so why does this give any greater protection against the omicron or whatever it's called 🤷🏼‍♀️🙈

They are the same vaccine, as in it hasn't been reformulated (obviously, as we've only known about Omicron for a few weeks).

The Moderna booster is a half dose because the full Moderna dose is bigger than the full dose of any of the other vaccines, if that makes sense.

The booster boosts your antibodies. It tells your body 'Ooh here's that nasty virus again, better mount a response to it' and the more times your body does that, the better it gets at it and the longer the protection lasts.

Aaaahhhhh I see, thank you!
I honestly thought it was a brand new jab!
So if there's a second booster or would just be a half dose of one of those shots again I presume!

Well, it's possible in the future the manufacturers may decide to reformulate the vaccines to respond better to new variants. It takes a few months to formulate and test and get it approved, and then of course quite a few months to produce enough doses for every country wanting to order them. I believe the UK has ordered millions of doses for the coming years and that order includes the possibility of it being a reformulated vaccine if we need it for Omicron or another new variant.

@TulipsGarden

Genuine question, I promise I’m not being snarky! If that’s the case, I’m assuming that’s why I reacted so badly to the first 2 vaccines as Id already had Covid? Why do we need another booster then because surely Covid plus 2 vaccines will do the job as well as 2 vaccines and a booster as it’s causing the antibodies to do the same thing?

Trying to get my head around it. I’ve always been pro vaccine but I’m struggling to find the courage to get the booster as I was so ill last time.

@ihearttc Not necessarily, some people just react more than others. You might have a particularly strong immune response, or a very reactive body generally, or just unlucky. You could try getting a different jab as a booster to see if you fare better.

Two vaccines plus Covid will give you great protection, the booster will just be extra on top (and bare in mind that infection with Delta doesn't protect you from Omicron). Given that we're all going to be exposed to Covid multiple times over our lives, and the risk increases as we get older/sicker, I will take all the protection I can get.

@TulipsGarden

Thank you for replying so kindly. I have an auto immune condition (although not vulnerable) so my body does tend to do strange things but this was such a severe response. I had Astra Zeneca so will have a different one anyway I think.

I’m not normally worried about stuff like this, have PA so have B12 injections every 10 weeks but the thought of being so ill again is terrifying me no matter how illogical it might be.