To boost or not to boost? That is the question. I’m still thinking about whether or not it’s important for me to get the second booster for the COVID vaccine. What might help me decide is a little bit more information from University of Iowa Hospital epidemiologist Dr. Daniel Diekema, MD.
The Omicron subvariant, BA.2, is much more transmissible than most past variants. According to Dr. Diekema, it’s responsible for more than half of all Covid-19 cases in Iowa. On the one hand, it doesn’t cause more severe disease than the other variants, and it’s just as responsive to the current vaccines.
On the other hand, just because I’m older makes me more susceptible to severe disease and less responsive to vaccines. That’s according to studies done by Stanley Perlman. MD, PhD at the University of Iowa.
So even if the first booster dose is effective against severe COVID-19 disease, I may be better off getting the second booster sooner rather than later.
It’s also important to continue wearing a mask and practicing social distancing as well as good hand hygiene.
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