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canyonwalkerWhile the news about Covid case rates has been ho-hum the past few weeks the big news from last week is a second booster shot. On March 28 the FDA and CDC approved second booster shots of the Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna vaccines for people 50+ and those with weakened immune systems.
These are large groups, encompassing about 115 million Americans. The broad approval left tens of millions wondering, "How urgent is a fourth shot for me?" One can imagine that a 90-year-old with a lung condition should seek a 4th shot post-haste while an otherwise healthy 50 year old could conceivably wait a few months. Indeed, that's pretty much what experts in the media advised while government officials were silent.
Just today the CDC came out with a slightly clearer recommendation. Dr. Rochelle Walensky, Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said that a second booster is safe for everyone to begin immediately (example coverage: NBC News article/video, 5 Apr 2022).
Asked about whether healthy people in their 50s need a 4th shot just as urgently as those older or with health problems, Walensky said it's "a personal judgment call."
So... not really clearer. 😒
This affects me personally because I'm in the 50+ group now... though barely. And because it's just barely I'm left without clear guidance on whether I need to run or walk to get my next shot. For now I'm going to go with advice from experts in the media (medical school deans and public health researchers) that I can "walk, not run". I plan to wait a few months, keeping an eye on statistics and considering the risk level of activities I engage in.
These are large groups, encompassing about 115 million Americans. The broad approval left tens of millions wondering, "How urgent is a fourth shot for me?" One can imagine that a 90-year-old with a lung condition should seek a 4th shot post-haste while an otherwise healthy 50 year old could conceivably wait a few months. Indeed, that's pretty much what experts in the media advised while government officials were silent.
Just today the CDC came out with a slightly clearer recommendation. Dr. Rochelle Walensky, Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said that a second booster is safe for everyone to begin immediately (example coverage: NBC News article/video, 5 Apr 2022).
Asked about whether healthy people in their 50s need a 4th shot just as urgently as those older or with health problems, Walensky said it's "a personal judgment call."
So... not really clearer. 😒
This affects me personally because I'm in the 50+ group now... though barely. And because it's just barely I'm left without clear guidance on whether I need to run or walk to get my next shot. For now I'm going to go with advice from experts in the media (medical school deans and public health researchers) that I can "walk, not run". I plan to wait a few months, keeping an eye on statistics and considering the risk level of activities I engage in.
