Should I get the booster? Talk to me!

[M1RR0R]

I’m so conflicted so I could do with some (calm not scaremongering) advice. I know how hysterical some people can be so I’m prepared

• 28
• No health conditions but a bit fat
• 2 moderna jabs
• Covid positive on 11th November
• Slight snuffly nose with covid

I haven’t had the booster yet & I just don’t want it! I don’t want the side effects & because I’ve not long had covid I feel it’s unnecessary. DH is trying to talk me into it but I just can’t see any reason why it would benefit me or my family. Best case scenario is a sore arm but my second moderna floored me!

I’d be happy to get the booster next winter and I get the flu jab every year (I even pay) but I’m viewing having covid as my ‘booster’ this winter. What would you do? Thoughts?

@BlibBlabBlob

So many posting replies that don't seem to take into account the fact that the OP has recently had and recovered from COVID itself. This WILL have had the same, or even better, effect as a third injection.

Obviously if the question was 'I've never had COVID but am worried about getting a third jab' then the answers saying 'just get the bloody jab' would make sense.

But that is NOT what the OP is saying.

Obviously the public health messaging needs to be simple and clear: GET THE BOOSTER. However this does not take into account individual circumstances and, if you've recently had COVID, delaying the booster might be a very sensible choice.

If that was actually the case, then boosters would not need to be recommended. The fact is we don't know yet the impact of vaccine only immunity vs hybrid immunity vs natural immunity. We also don't know exactly the detail on how much the t-cell response works against omicron as it isn't just about the antibody response mounted, although early indicators are positive. Everyone is being advised to have a booster regardless of prior infection status and that is because that is what is advised on the basis on the most up to date and best scientific information available at the time. With the greatest of respect, I am unsure why people are so hesitant to go with what the world's best who are all working around the clock on this are advising based on their expertise. It's that simple- yes you may not trust the government (that's a whole other thread) but we can trust the science and what scientists around the world are advising.

That response was in reference to this statement
*
This WILL have had the same, or even better, effect as a third injection*

We do not know this.

I think the problem is guidance is so confusing in England.
First they said 12 - 15 don't need 2nd shot, unlike other countries. Now they can get it, but if you had covid, it used to be 28 days but now have to wait 12 weeks.

So it seems booster is good against preventing symptomatic cases, but it also seems like first 2 doses still give us good t-cell immunity against severe disease. So, what about the person who had covid recently?

From what they are doing to 12+, it looks like they think infection gives good boost to immunity. Since booster immunity wanes after 10 weeks, it makes me question that if it's better to wait a bit longer to get boosted then do it soon after infection, like in OP's case.

@rainrainraincamedowndowndown

I think the problem is guidance is so confusing in England. First they said 12 - 15 don't need 2nd shot, unlike other countries. Now they can get it, but if you had covid, it used to be 28 days but now have to wait 12 weeks.

So it seems booster is good against preventing symptomatic cases, but it also seems like first 2 doses still give us good t-cell immunity against severe disease. So, what about the person who had covid recently?

From what they are doing to 12+, it looks like they think infection gives good boost to immunity. Since booster immunity wanes after 10 weeks, it makes me question that if it's better to wait a bit longer to get boosted then do it soon after infection, like in OP's case.

The guidance changes as it is an ever changing picture. It's a novel virus so we are learning more every day. With advice re vaccines- it's a constant balance of risk v benefit and that can change. That part I can understand and the JCVI for instance, make recommendations based on the latest data. Whilst a longer gap between doses is preferable - it's better to have an earlier booster than not at all when you are facing a new and more transmissible variant that, at the time, scientists did not know the virulence of. It's literally a race between the vaccines and the virus. Omicron changed the game- as will future variants. I just hope polyvalent vaccines are developed more quickly than current time-frames.

It's literally a race between the vaccines and the virus.

But this is a race we will not win, unless we jab people literally every 8-10 weeks. I don’t know many people who would be ok with that.

Until we get more vaccine equity across the planet we will be constantly running away from this.

@BoPeeple

It's literally a race between the vaccines and the virus.

But this is a race we will not win, unless we jab people literally every 8-10 weeks. I don’t know many people who would be ok with that.

Until we get more vaccine equity across the planet we will be constantly running away from this.

I completely agree on the vaccine equity point. It's criminal that AZ was so denigrated and so much wasted when it could have been put to use as it is an effective enough vaccine. It is a world issue and wealthier nations must do more to get everyone in the world vaccinated.