FDA/CDC Approve second booster shot. I am undecided

I’m definitely on board, but it hasn’t been very long since my booster, so I’ll have to think about the timing. I’ve never had Covid that I know, and I did get tested several times when I had respiratory symptoms. I’ve also not had bad reactions to the shots. I have a heart condition and am 64.

I am on the fence. Shot 2 made me very sick for a week and started a flare that took 3 months to get over. shot 3 wasn't quite as bad just a week of being rather sick but no arthritis flares following on. My concern is will 4 be enough or will there be another booster every 4-6 months or so? December 14, 2020 was the first vaccine available. I had my first shot in February 2021. Here we are in March 2022; jut 14 months later and looking at dose #4. I am starting to feel like we will be needing 4 boosters a year!

If I didn't have to go into the office 2x per week I would skip it. I am happy in my pandemic hermit lifestyle.

I've come this far.

I need to continue to be safe and protect my husband who has a cancer history. So I will be getting it.

But, keep in mind that many MANY of us had very minimal reactions to our vaccines and booster, we just haven't posted about it like the others have. I was very tired for about 24 hours after my second vaccine, and with the first vaccine and the booster I hardly had more than a sore arm. So unless you personally had bad reactions of your own I wouldn't let other people's horror stories worry you too much. 

I'm eligible, but I'm going to wait for a bit. If I see a surge coming, I'll go ahead and get it.

I never had anything worse than a slightly sore arm for a day with any of my three previous shots.

I don't think most people had bad reactions. I had some fatigue after the first shot, none after the second. I had J&J, so only 2 so far. I will be getting the booster, since I had J&J.

I think you should discuss it with your oncologist.

Studies in Europe have said that getting too many of the booster shots may weaken your immune response. Israel is reporting that a fourth vaccine doesn't produce enough antibodies to protect against the virus. England and Israel are pretty good indicators of what the US should do. I'm not going to get it until I can't get my frozen shoulders under control (from the initial shots last year). I don't really see any reason to get it when the numbers will be low. Remember, it's a matter of when, not if, you get it. Maybe next fall but by then we will be on the 6th booster. We need to slow this down. As soon as they think the immunity is waning, they jump in with "We need another shot, stat".

The drug companies said 3 or 4 weeks between initial shots while England found that it was better to wait for 6 weeks. I'm completely certain the drug companies are doing this to make money.

I am pretty certain I had it a few weeks ago.  I tested negative with the home tests but I was completely run down for a week and a half, had a weird cough and had some issues with breathing.  I never went and got a PCR test.  My husband didn't get it.

I had 2 Johnson & Johnson vaccines, so it appears I am not protected enough and I need another booster — and it should be Pfizer or Moderna.

I don’t look forward to it, because I will be in bed for a day with a fever, but I know I need to. I am 50 with high blood pressure…ugggh.

There is no way I am getting another booster. I had flu-like symptoms after the first two for three days both times. Twenty hours after the booster I got a severe headache and nausea, and lost consciousness. I was rushed to hospital in an ambulance since they suspected a stroke. CT, EKG and blood tests didn’t show anything, so they suspect it was the vaccine. According to the hospital, several patients had had the same symptoms. So no, not risking even worse side effects next time (and the hospital advised against it as well, just in case someone tries to have a go at me).

Oooh, I'll have to see if I can get one before my next round of travels. 

Unless it opens up for more people, I won't qualify until July when I turn 50.  I will be 8 months post booster at that time, so I will likely get it when I get back from our trip mid-July.  I only had a big reaction (major body aches, crazy fatigue) after the first (I had Covid before my first shot).  The others I have just had a day of mild/moderate yuck and just relaxed for the day.

Even if we are moving into an endemic mode, I think I will get it since I teach and have some underlying health issues.  If we get another big wave before then, I would imagine they will open up the booster for more people, and I will get it ASAP.

That's the thing for me, too. I work with LARGE numbers of adults and teens, so I feel like I need to consider not only my own health, but the health of those around me. (Which is...ya know...how vaccines work.)

Those of you with the J&J....I am pretty certain I saw an article a couple weeks back that over the surges last December, that J&J had shown the more long term protection. We heard the opposite earlier on, I thought, about it not being as effective. I do not remember where I saw it, either on CNN or llnked up in Drudge.   I am too lazy this morning to go back through my history.

ETA:  Was CNN.  Found it.   link


Worth a google, as there may be some new info.

Supposedly starting in the fall it will be moved to a yearly vaccine like the flu.

Part of me wonders for those who aren't high risk if that would be the better time to get a booster as they are looking to tweak it to better protect against new variants. And like the flu vaccine, it will tailored to what is going around. But who knows. Data changes frequently