I am having trouble getting a good Google answer, so I wanted to ask here.
I spent hours yesterday with someone who it turns out has a household member currently hospitalized for Covid. Was mostly outdoors, with 6’ of separation. Mostly unmasked. Some time was inside, mostly (but not entirely) masked.
I’ve had four vaccines – the last one was the bivalent booster 11 months ago. I’m 60, so not automatically eligible for the second bivalent, and anyway a new formulation is expected in a month and I was going to wait for that. I’ve had very close exposure to Covid in the past (DH was sick twice) and never got it. I also haven’t had any reactions to the four previous vaccines. I rarely am around crowds, so not much general exposure.
I’m debating getting another bivalent today. Going on vacation in a week and really don’t want to be sick for that.
Has anyone seen official recommendations in this situation? Or…what would you do? Are there any downsides to getting an additional bivalent? I can think of two: I might get a vaccine reaction and/or I might have to wait for the new formulation.
Seems most recommend waiting, to get the better matched upcoming vaccine (which probably won’t be widely available until October): Recent NYT article here (gift link)
I have not seen any recommendations. H and I were just discussing this. We are up to date on our vaccines, but we are waiting to hear what our PCPs say about the next one. Neither of us has health issues, and we both had Covid a year ago - relatively minor cases. We have normalized distancing in public areas, and hand washing is a priority. We don’t want to trivialize Covid, but we’re careful without being overly cautious. We would probably not get boosters at this point if we were going on vacation - but we would probably consider masks if we were in a crowded airport.
I would be more diligent about wearing masks. My husband and I have just tested positive and are pretty certain we were exposed on the ferry ride home of the last day of vacation.
Why would you be getting another bivalent today – to forestall infection from the person you saw yesterday? If so, it takes time for the vaccine to work. The same for going on vacation in a week – it takes time for the vaccine to work. In that case, though, there is more time between the shot and your vacation starting.
Still, though, I’d just mask and social distance while on vacation, and then get the new monovalent booster when it becomes available.
I will be 64 in the fall with my last booster fall 2023. No Covid yet that I know of. I will probably be able to get it at work (health care) along with the flu shot.
We were recently on vacation out of the country and I now have Covid (my husband is negative). We spent time in crowded elevators, crowded restaurants, trains etc as well as a lot of time outdoors. I think I have had all of the recommended vaccines but at this point who knows, maybe I didn’t. My last booster was 9/22. I had Covid a few days after that vaccine (mild). This time it’s still mild, but not quite as mild.
I would wait until the new booster comes out in a few weeks so that the most recent variant is included.
Good question. I had my bivalent booster back in December 2022. I believe I’ve had 5 shots? Anyway, I’ll likely wait for the newest formulation of the vaccine and time it with my flu shot.
I have had 5 shots so far. At age 66 and having had a very bad case of covid in May (went into pneumonia), I will get the next vaccine as soon as it is available. I’ll also be getting my annual flu shot and the RSV shot.
If you got exposed yesterday, the virus has a head start on any vaccine you get.
If you are concerned about a trip next week, a booster may not have enough time to become fully effective.
The next vaccines in the US (Pfizer, Moderna, and Novavax supposedly will be offering them) will be monovalent vaccines targeted against the XBB.1.5 variant that was predominant at the time the target virus was decided.
Just this morning I messaged my primary to ask if I should get a booster now or wait. I am going to Europe and will be on a small boat with 38 or so other passengers in early September. Before the next vaccine is available.
She said to get the booster now, which is my inclination. My 5th vaccination was back in January. The other booster can wait, as I can be more avoidant at home than traveling. I also wanted a course of Paxlovid to take with me in case of infection but that was denied.
H & I were just discussing this the other day, as he’s reporting several teachers already out with covid. He has the first 2 weeks (with kids) off, as he’s recovering from hip replacement surgery.
I think we will still wait for the next fall booster and time it with the flu shot. I’m sort of hoping that everyone passes it around these first couple of weeks and it’ll be better when he goes back on Monday. Probably wishful thinking. He brought covid home to me in January and we’ve had 4 shots, the last being 9/23/22. I just looked it up, lol. I couldn’t remember.
But I’m sort of resigning myself to getting it again when H goes back to class. There haven’t been any protocols for safety in a long, long, time…
Covid is absolutely making the rounds again. I’ve seen more masks lately and I know three people who have had it very recently or are currently sick.
Will the current booster give any protection against the new variant, and/or will you feel less ill should you get Covid? If so, get it now because you don’t want to spoil your vacation.
School starting is fueling the current surge. Also, this is the first time there will be the double occurrence of school starting AND no covid precautions in medical facilities anymore (at least in most places…definitely true where I am). I had to get a test done in a local hospital the other day, and the signage at the entrance of the hospital said that masks were recommended if one has covid or symptoms of covid. That’s it – covid is in the air everywhere, and people can walk around even in medical facilities unmasked.
I went to the ER last night and told them I had covid – most were not wearing masks and seemed unconcerned. The nurse wore a surgical mask. Only the doctor and I were wearing n95’s (or maybe kn95’s)
DH is a pharmacist in AZ and another relative works in an infectious disease testing lab in MN both are reporting a big uptick in Covid positives. DH and I were just discussing this and will wait for the new booster and aim for late September vaccination.
@MMrose does the person you were with have Covid or Covid symptoms or is it just their household member? If the person you were with has tested and is negative or has no symptoms I wouldn’t be overly concerned about that exposure but I would be cautious going forward until you decide it’s time to get a booster.