Anne Arundel County Department of Health issued the following announcement on Feb. 11.
Hi, I’m Dr. Nilesh Kalyanaraman, the health officer for Anne Arundel County. Welcome to our Weekly Health Update. The COVID vaccines are safe and effective, and they’re our path out of this pandemic. 68% of people in the county have gotten two doses and nearly 60% of those eligible have gotten a booster. Today, let’s talk about why boosters are so important.
What is a booster?
For some vaccines, after the initial vaccination, you need periodic updates to keep your immune system ready. This update is called a booster. For the flu shot you need a yearly booster. For tetanus, you need a booster every ten years. Boosters are a regular part of many vaccination series.
Why should I get a COVID vaccine booster?
The COVID vaccines are very effective in minimizing the risks of severe COVID, including hospitalization and death. Their effectiveness decreases over time which is why getting a booster is important. Studies have shown that people who get a booster have stronger protection against severe COVID than people who didn’t get a booster.
When should I get a booster?
Everybody 12 and older is eligible for a booster. If you got both doses of Pfizer or Moderna, you should get a booster at least five months after finishing your initial series. If you had the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, you should get a booster at least two months after that one dose. If you’re 18 or older, you can get either the Pfizer or Moderna booster. If you’re 12-17, you can only get the Pfizer booster.
As cases and hospitalizations continue to decrease we are getting to a better place. But COVID is still with us. As cases get lower it’s easier to pay less attention to COVID and that’s what makes it spread more easily again. But, there is one thing that you can do to prevent that. Stay up to date on your vaccine. We’ve done very well as a county in getting people 12 and older their initial vaccine series. We need to do better with boosters and for our 5 to 11-year-olds. When you stay up to date on your COVID vaccine, you protect yourself and you protect your community.
Stay safe and be kind to yourself and others. We’ll see you next week.
Original source can be found here.
Source: Anne Arundel County Department of Health
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