BALTIMORE (WMAR) — The CDC is now recommending a second booster shot for certain adults, but a Johns Hopkins doctor said now may not be the best time for all those who are eligible to get it.
“I do think the second booster is going to be important to get but we have to time it in time for a surge,” said Johns Hopkins lung doctor Panagis Galiatsatos.
The CDC’s recommendation includes immunocompromised individuals and people over age 50 who received their first booster at least four months ago. Also, adults who got the Johnson and Johnson booster at least four months ago can now get a second booster of one of the other two vaccines.
The CDC said up against omicron, those who are boosted are 21 times less likely to die from COVID compared to unvaccinated individuals.
“The vaccines work when they are timed well with a surge. Having the most antibodies will allow patients, if they have COVID, to keep it from becoming severe,” said Dr. Galiatsatos.
Dr. Galiatsatos instead recommends them for immunocompromised or transplant patients, and people who live with them.
Otherwise, he said it’s all about timing: when did they get the first booster and how is community transmission.
“What I don’t want is them getting this vaccine, getting the booster and having it go to waste when a surge may come in a few months,” said Dr. Galiatsatos.
The other exception, he said, is if someone plans to travel to a place with high levels of COVID transmission.
He didn’t think we would be here so soon, discussing a second booster shot before the fall. But he understands it with the highly transmissible BA.2 variant, face masks coming off and social gatherings going up.
“Knowing we are gonna have a lot more potential for BA.2 to infect us, I think that’s where the CDC is hoping to be in front of a potential surge in hospitalizations by getting a second booster,” said Dr. Galiatsatos.
He also expects this to be a continual conversation and recommends speaking to your doctor if you have questions about when you should get the extra dose.
“I do think for the foreseeable future we will be getting COVID vaccines at some frequency. Maybe every 4 months. Maybe every 6 months,” said Dr. Galiatsatos. “The pandemic won’t end because COVID goes away. It’ll end because we’ve learned to adapt to it and not have it disrupt our lives.”
