What you should know about the new COVID booster

Epidemiologist and Professor Amira Roess answers frequently asked questions about the latest COVID booster shot.

A new COVID-19 booster shot has been approved in the United States and is recommended for people ages 12 and older. Dubbed the “bivalent” booster, this new booster is designed to combat the original COVID strain and protect against the latest Omicron variants (BA.4 and BA.5).

dr Amira Roess, an epidemiologist and professor at George Mason University, specializes in infectious diseases and answers frequently asked questions about the new COVID-19 booster shot.

Who should get the new COVID-19 booster?

Eligible persons aged 12 and over are encouraged to obtain the new bivalent booster vaccine. Eligibility is defined as at least 2 months after the last booster or first primary vaccination course. The FDA has approved two new boosters, one from Moderna and one from Pfizer. Visit the Centers for Disease Control website to find out if you are eligible.

The numbers are down and fewer people seem to be getting COVID, so why should I get the new booster vaccine?

Disease modelers have predicted an increase in cases this fall and winter, in part due to the fact that we are moving into colder months where we will be more indoors and exposed to more viruses. In addition, many people lose their immunity to the virus. People were vaccinated or boosted many months ago, many in the spring or summer. This means that they are soon at risk of (re)infection. Getting the new booster shot can help reduce your risk of infection and can drastically reduce your risk of serious infection if you are infected.

Another important note here is that we are clearly undercounting cases. Many of us use home kits and don’t report the results to health authorities.

Is now a good time to refuel?

If you are eligible, yes. Now is a good time and you should consider getting the new booster. We hear reports of children getting infected at school and infecting their household members. We will likely see more cases in the coming weeks. Eligible people who receive the new booster shot are less likely to get COVID-19 and if they do get infected, they are likely to have a very mild case and a shorter illness duration. This reduces the chance of transmitting the virus to others.

How soon after infection can I get the new booster shot?

General CDC guidelines suggest that you wait at least 3 months after experiencing symptoms or a positive test. We can expect the CDC and White House to release guidance on this in the coming weeks related to the booster.

Why don’t we know more about the currently circulating variant of COVID-19?

Although the data are preliminary, they indicate that the currently circulating variant, BA.5, is the most immune escape variant we have looked at to date. Individuals are more likely to be re-infected with this variant compared to previously circulating variants. In addition, we see that part of the population becomes reinfected within 2 months of infection. As BA.5 became dominant over the summer, there’s still a lot we don’t know.

The data suggest that, overall, serious illness, hospitalizations and deaths after infection with this variant continue to be significantly lower in healthy individuals.

How will we deal with this in the future?

First, if you’re eligible for the new booster, consider getting it.

Next, try to stay home if you have symptoms, even if your rapid test is negative. We want to avoid infecting others, especially those with weakened immune systems or the elderly.

If you test positive, isolate yourself at home as best you can. The CDC has updated its guidelines to reduce the length of isolation and quarantine. Once you are out of isolation, continue to wear your mask when you are around others to further protect them.

The good news is that most healthy adults don’t get very sick. However, we would like to keep in mind that there are many immunocompromised individuals in our community who are at serious risk of disease if infected.