It’s official — you will need a COVID-19 vaccine booster shot to stay safe from the novel coronavirus.
Do you need a COVID-19 booster shot?
On Wednesday, U.S. health officials said they would call on all Americans to get COVID-19 booster shots.
- “We are starting to see evidence of reduced protection against mild and moderate disease,” officials told The New York Times.
Why do you need a COVID-19 booster shot?
The shots are meant to protect Americans against the delta variant and improve their vaccines’ effectiveness, per The Associated Press. The call for the vaccine boosters come as growing evidence suggests the vaccines’ effectiveness wanes over time.
How do you get a COVID-19 booster shot?
Currently, the plan — which comes from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — suggests people should get their COVID-19 booster shots about eight months after they got their second shot of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, The Associated Press reports.
- But the Food and Drug Administration still needs to approve the shots before people can get them, as I wrote for the Deseret News.
Is there a COVID-19 booster shot for Johnson & Johnson?
It’s unclear what people should do if they got the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. However, officials said J&J recipients will need an extra shot, per The Associated Press.
Who gets a COVID-19 booster first?
Per The New York Times, the first people in line for shots include health care workers, residents of nursing homes and older adults.
Does the COVID-19 booster shot come with side effects?
It’s unclear at this point if the third shot will have side effects.
When will COVID-19 booster shots be available?
The COVID-19 booster shots will begin being offered on Sept. 20, per The Associated Press.