I am still trying to decide if booster is a good idea for healthy 20 something. Did anyone see recommendations for this age group for the personal health benefits and not for the public health recommendations from colleges, etc. Don’t really want to take a risk if it’s unnecessary.
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My 21 year old was boostered. She’s been working on site in a manufacturing facility for her co-op this semester and it was for sure recommended. Her university is also recommending it for all students because of congregate housing.
We are traveling for the winter holidays to see octogenarian grandparents so we want to minimize our risk for them. The entire family will have gotten their boosters.
Our family doctor told all of us to get the booster as soon as we could.
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Our family docs also said get boosted ASAP, and that includes two college age students (neither school requires boosters yet). Those who have one JNJ are not considered fully vaccinated by many, and Fauci said yesterday they are discussing whether or not the definition of fully vaccinated will ultimately include only those who have also had a booster. With all of that said, talk to your doctor(s), my family of four has four different physicians.
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Just thought I’d throw my 2 cents in here - My H and I just got our boosters yesterday. He had mild chills for about 1/2 - 1 hour and then they went away and nothing else. He feels fine today. I on the other hand have an extremely sore arm and woke up today with fever, body aches and a headache. Took some Advil and it seems to be a little better, but feeling kinda lousy. Neither one of us had any reaction to the first 2 doses, so I was a bit surprised this go around. I had to work today so I’m trying to power through the day at the moment, lol.
My 23 y.o. got the booster on his own, as did his 22 y.o. GF. My S has not had covid, but does travel from time to time and will be going out of the country next week. He had 3 shots of Pfizer. GF had covid in January and then got the JNJ shot in the spring. I’m not sure which booster she got.
I am not asking my 20 y.o. to get it at this time. He had covid in fall 2020 and then had two moderna shots in Feb/march. Aside from masking indoors on campus, his life is pretty much normal. I’m sure he’s been exposed to a lot. If he wanted the booster, I’d support it, but I was more concerned he get his flu shot this fall (which he did). If it was required, I’d have no problems with him getting it either.
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Younger D’s school tests for Covid and they have been having an uptick in cases since Halloween. The thought that she would get it and have to isolate at the end of the semester when projects and exams are due was enough reason for her. As I am the person paying a lot of tuition, I appreciate her effort!
Both my kids are also going to see my mom soon, and they want to do everything they can to protect her (and my DH and I). Our state just opened up the booster to everyone over 18, so we are getting ours the Monday after Thanksgiving.
Prior infection followed by vaccination appears to produce the strongest immune response, according to some studies on the matter, so boosting may not be that much of a priority for him compared to some others.
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ExactLy what I plan to do to insure correct dosage, ask to confirm and see it.
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Got my Pfizer booster this Wednesday. My reaction to the 2nd shot was bad (extreme chills, aches, fever, etc.) but this booster was a breeze this time. Just ever so slight chills for a couple hours- I could continue working. I did have a very hard time finding an appt. where I live- first available at CVS was Nov 30. I even called if that was a mistake because the Walgreens website at least had appts a week later. So I expanded my search towards more anti-vax areas and lo and behold I found something immediately the next day and there were appts available very 10 min. So totally open, and I added an appt for my husband as well. We drove a bit further and while we were there at the Walgreens, a lady without a mask comes in and asks for a rapid COVID test. Seriously!! Just unbelievable.
I’m going to suggest my son who hasn’t had Covid but vaxxed with Pfizer in May get a booster before going to study abroad in January. I already suggested my son who had Covid last Dec. and vaxxed with J&J in April think about getting a booster. Third son had Covid in January and vaxxed with Pfizer in April and lives in an off campus apartment, probably won’t get one, but I am on him about a flu shot (other two had flu shot). I really feel like “it can’t hurt” (hopefully - I’m ignoring those who think it’s all an experiment to alter our DNA) H and I had our boosters so I plan not to worry or require masks from them like last Christmas.
So are boosters for everybody officially approved now? I just checked appointments at the local Safeway pharmacy and it’s still asking if I’m one of the various high risk groups.
I’m 8 months out (Pfizer) and more than ready to get a booster before a trip next month.
Yes, it’s approved for all adults now.
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I got a walk-in booster yesterday at the Rite Aid near me, no questions asked. I did have to produce my vaccine card, health insurance and ID. I had my choice of three, but decided to get Moderna to match my other two. 
And because I was feeling lucky, I got the flu shot in my other arm (I’ve never had a flu shot). I was pretty tired last night, which had the added benefit of helping me sleep lol. I’m feeling close to normal this morning, except for some slight soreness in my Covid shot arm. Even that isn’t nearly what it was for the first two.
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@yearstogo My antibody level 5 1/2 months after second shot was 1075, Was your test the semi-quantitative antibody test?
I barely reacted to my first two shots but the third shot, the booster, had me in bed for 4 days. Twelve days after the shot I developed vertigo and wonder if it is related. Could be a migraine. Easy to blame things on the vaccine. But my daughter had vertigo for weeks after her first two. Fortunately not with booster.
The wording is almost entirely in a foreign language, although it indicates “Covid IgG (Quantitative)” on the form. Additionally a loose translation of some of the wording seems to say that it looks for spike proteins in the blood.
I had my second Moderna vaccination at the end of March and this recent test indicates my antibodies are 3521 (7.5 months after vaccination), which seems good from what I can gather. To my knowledge, I never had Covid.
After 2500 the test I took does not report a specific score. It just reads >2500.
I cannot find much info on the difference between quantitative and semi-quantitative tests.
Qualitative, Quantitative and Semi-quantitative Testing in Microbiology | Pharma Pathway
It seems that quantitative gives numerical results over 2500 and semi-quantitative does not. But they both measure spike protein in the blood. Qualitative tests just show presence or absence and don’t express in numerical terms.
It seems both quantitative and semi-quantitative tests measure IgG, convalescent antibodies, not IgM, which are acute.
So your 3521 is more reassuring than my 1075. ( But noone knows apparently). My vaccines have all been Pfizer, I am in a study due to lupus and get tested tomorrow, 14 days after my booster, and again at one month, three months, six months and a year. I will report my results as I go.
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My D and SIL, in their mid 30s, just had their Moderna boosters on Friday. They are flying to the UK during Christmas as SIL’s family hasn’t seen the 2 year old since she was 6 months old; his parents had several trips here scheduled that were all cancelled. They are in 7th heaven looking forward to holding GD; I can not imagine not seeing her for 2 years.
The goal is to protect GD as much as possible, so by boosting, they hope to avoid Covid for themselves, and in turn protect her. They rarely go out, and are masked if so; this flight is their big worry as they can stay masked the entire flight, but don’t want GD masked while she hopefully sleeps.
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Are they going to have a row to themselves?
The risk of being unmasked and exposed to Covid seems a lot greater than any issue with GD being masked while sleeping. Not sure I understand their concern.
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