Covid Booster Shots: Questions, Answers, Thoughts — and More Questions
Straight talk on third shots
Late last Thursday, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) formally authorized the use of a third mRNA vaccine booster shot for people who are immune-compromised. Someone who is immune-compromised does not have a fully working immune system; their immune system is weakened or suppressed in some way because of a condition they have or a drug they’re taking.
The next day, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) endorsed the decision and recommended the booster for certain groups of immune-compromised people. But I’ve heard the same question from a lot of folks who aren’t in those groups: “Should I get one anyway?” I’ve written about booster shots before, and unless you’re immune-compromised, the answer hasn’t really changed: “No.” But let’s dig in.
I reported on this story in detail at National Geographic on Friday, so I recommend hopping over there to read the details. (If you don’t subscribe, you need to enter an email address — any email address — to scroll down and read the full story. The story will also be updated soon with the details from the CDC meeting.) This story, however, is more of a straightforward Q&A about who should get the booster and why and who doesn’t need the booster and why. Feel free to skip…
