Experts are advising we treat COVID like the flu with annual booster shots.
The mixed COVID-19 booster shots have been given the green light in the US and elsewhere as countries face the fall and an expected uptick in coronavirus cases as the colder weather sets in. Many people may be wondering how many COVID-19 vaccines we’ll be encouraged to get before this is all over. The news may seem surprising: an innumerable amount, is the answer.
Health officials are now saying we may be moving to annual COVID shots much like flu shots. Here’s a bit about what the new booster helps protect you from and who should get them.
The mixed booster fights multiple strains of COVID
The new, so-called bivalent vaccine still offers you protection against the original strain of COVID-19. It’s also been reformulated to offer more protection against the BA.5 and BA.4 Omicron subvariants which are now currently accounting for almost all cases of COVID-19 in the US. This is good news for those who are seeking extra protection.
According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, at the time of this writing, doctors and scientists are estimating that, while deaths have been worse at some periods of the pandemic, COVID-19 currently has a mortality rate that’s about 10 times that of most strains of the flu, and possibly even higher.
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Officials say they feel this type of annual protection could potentially help save thousands of lives. COVID-19 is still killing an average of well over 300 people per day in the US. While this rate is lower than that experienced at other times during the pandemic, it’s still staggering. Some modeling projects the new vaccine could help prevent as many as 100,000 hospitalizations and 9,000 deaths this winter.
Many people may feel tired of getting vaccinated. You may wish to avoid the whole ordeal but it’s good to remember that getting the vaccine could save you money in hospital bills and help prevent excessive time off from work as well as the uncomfortable nature of falling sick with the virus. Something to keep in mind.
Annual COVID boosters are for everyone. Some may need more frequent shots.
According to Dr. Fauci, chief medical advisor to the president, getting an annual COVID-19 vaccine might be the best way forward and offer most people the best protection. Some vulnerable groups may need to get the vaccine more than once a year, however, he states. This is because this group may have a weakened immune response and need COVID-19 shots more frequently to get the same effect.
The annual flu shot dates back to the 1940s and tends to have an efficacy of somewhere between 40% and 60%. Hopefully, the COVID boosters will be able to offer us more certainty in their protection, going forwards. This being said, even a low amount of protection is better than none.
If you’re worried about the new vaccine or have questions, talk to your doctor. To learn more about the bivalent vaccine, click here.
photo credits: Pete Hansen/Shutterstock.com
