please get your booster if you can (and you probably can)

[Rebel]

I had Moderna and got a third dose at 6 months. (It was during that brief period where Biden was saying everyone should be eligible at 6 months, before it went back to 8 and then changed to Pfizer only, etc.) I am in an antibody study so knew my level, was about to return to in-person teaching at the college, have 2 comorbidities, and my doctor agreed that I should go ahead and do it. 

[kokotg]

Ugh. Not thrilled about Moderna news. My 20 year old had Moderna back in April and will be in Budapest from January to May. I REALLY want him to get a booster before he heads out of the country and won't be back until more than a year post second dose. We may have to go the immunocompromised route if they don't move things along. 

I just scheduled by 18 year old for a pfizer booster at CVS and didn't even need to check a box about his eligibility, FWIW. 

[TarynB]

5 hours ago, Rebel said:

I had Moderna and got a third dose at 6 months. (It was during that brief period where Biden was saying everyone should be eligible at 6 months, before it went back to 8 and then changed to Pfizer only, etc.) I am in an antibody study so knew my level, was about to return to in-person teaching at the college, have 2 comorbidities, and my doctor agreed that I should go ahead and do it. 

If you don't mind me asking . . . since you knew your antibody level, was your antibody level diminished at around 6 months out from your second Moderna dose?

[Hoggirl]

By saying no booster scenario for me - not only am I a Moderna person, I am not over 65, I do not have any underlying health issues, and I don’t work at all (so not in a field that would allow me to get it). I would much prefer to be eligible for a booster, but I’m not.

[KSera]

7 minutes ago, Hoggirl said:

By saying no booster scenario for me - not only am I a Moderna person, I am not over 65, I do not have any underlying health issues, and I don’t work at all (so not in a field that would allow me to get it). I would much prefer to be eligible for a booster, but I’m not.

That’s a situation to be extra glad you had Moderna at least. With Moderna and no health risks, you’re likely to be in good shape still. Hopefully if two Modernas start slipping in effectiveness for healthy younger people, they will catch that and revise the guidelines (not that they’ve even released Moderna guidelines yet). I know a booster would give extra reassurance, though. 

[melmichigan]

On 10/12/2021 at 5:08 PM, Roadrunner said:

Sorry about your sister.

 

The news on Moderna boosters isn’t good. I really wish they would let us mix the boosters.  

The news I saw today on mixing boosters looked good.  It's a data dump the last few days sorting it all out.  

I did my flu shot this time around (small window when I can take a vaccine).  I'm still waiting for clearance from neurology about a Pfizer booster. I can't get any more Moderna.

[Roadrunner]

59 minutes ago, KSera said:

That’s a situation to be extra glad you had Moderna at least. With Moderna and no health risks, you’re likely to be in good shape still. Hopefully if two Modernas start slipping in effectiveness for healthy younger people, they will catch that and revise the guidelines (not that they’ve even released Moderna guidelines yet). I know a booster would give extra reassurance, though. 

Is there data there on Moderna effectiveness versus Pfizer after 6 months? 
I was under the impression their data wasn’t as reliable. 

Edited October 14, 2021 by Roadrunner

[KSera]

8 minutes ago, Roadrunner said:

Is there data there on Moderna effectiveness versus Pfizer after 6 months? 
I was under the impression their data wasn’t as reliable. 

Moderna has not waned as much at 6 months. There are a few different data sets. The one from yesterday's Moderna booster data showed the majority of people under 65 still had high enough antibodies to prevent infection. Today's data on mixing and matching boosters showed that Moderna recipients had 3 times the antibody levels of Pfizer recipients (though I'm forgetting now how many weeks post second dose that was exactly). This is the reason there is uncertainty about Moderna boosters; one of the criteria was for the booster to boost levels 4 times what they were pre-boost, but since it hadn't waned as much, it didn't meet that criteria.

[Ali in OR]

I was able to get my Pfizer booster a couple of weeks ago since I'm a teacher. It was 8 months past second dose. They also did my flu shot at the same time--said it's only live vaccines you can't get close to Covid vax. One in each arm.

[Laura Corin]

1 hour ago, Ali in OR said:

I was able to get my Pfizer booster a couple of weeks ago since I'm a teacher. It was 8 months past second dose. They also did my flu shot at the same time--said it's only live vaccines you can't get close to Covid vax. One in each arm.

The UK is doing one in each arm. I actually paid to have my flu jab early as I won't be eligible for a booster until late November,  at six months. The UK is using Pfizer for everyone - mixing studies have been positive.  So I'll be AZ then Pfizer.

[VickiMNE]

16 minutes ago, Laura Corin said:

The UK is doing one in each arm. I actually paid to have my flu jab early as I won't be eligible for a booster until late November,  at six months. The UK is using Pfizer for everyone - mixing studies have been positive.  So I'll be AZ then Pfizer.

This is the position we are in. Two jabs of AZ and eligible for a Pfizer booster as of today.  (We are in Montenegro--I think they are following the UKs lead for the most part).  Do you know what the current suggested optimal  interlude is between 2nd dose and booster?  We are just 5 months out from our 2nd dose.  I'm not sure if 5 months is the minimum time or the optimal time and am wondering if we should wait just a little longer.

 

 

[Laura Corin]

I hope it's okay to put this here, @ktgrok

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/oct/14/covid-booster-shots-important-to-stop-infection-finds-english-study?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other

Initial jabs would have been mostly Pfizer and AZ with a small number of Moderna and no J&J. 

Edited October 14, 2021 by Laura Corin

[Elizabeth86]

It’s terrible. My mom keeps calling our health department and they keep saying not yet for her on getting the booster. My dad was able to get his 3rd dose of moderna though. My sister and her husband contacted covid a few months back. She was vaccinated and he wasn’t. They got it while he was getting scans to diagnose his newly discovered lung cancer. He had covid, pneumonia, blood clots. He has ended up with severe permanent neurological damage. They didn’t continue with his cancer treatments and have sent him home. They don’t expect him to make it through the next week or so. It’s so sad people out there brush it off and think this isn’t real. Please do keep us updated about your sister. I’ll ask my mom to pray too.

Edited October 14, 2021 by Elizabeth86

[Elizabeth86]

6 hours ago, Hoggirl said:

By saying no booster scenario for me - not only am I a Moderna person, I am not over 65, I do not have any underlying health issues, and I don’t work at all (so not in a field that would allow me to get it). I would much prefer to be eligible for a booster, but I’m not.

Same here.

[ktgrok]

2 hours ago, Elizabeth86 said:

It’s terrible. My mom keeps calling our health department and they keep saying not yet for her on getting the booster. My dad was able to get his 3rd dose of moderna though. My sister and her husband contacted covid a few months back. She was vaccinated and he wasn’t. They got it while he was getting scans to diagnose his newly discovered lung cancer. He had covid, pneumonia, blood clots. He has ended up with severe permanent neurological damage. They didn’t continue with his cancer treatments and have sent him home. They don’t expect him to make it through the next week or so. It’s so sad people out there brush it off and think this isn’t real. Please do keep us updated about your sister. I’ll ask my mom to pray too.

Can she just schedule (or you schedule for her) at CVS or similar? 

[mommyoffive]

13 hours ago, kokotg said:

Ugh. Not thrilled about Moderna news. My 20 year old had Moderna back in April and will be in Budapest from January to May. I REALLY want him to get a booster before he heads out of the country and won't be back until more than a year post second dose. We may have to go the immunocompromised route if they don't move things along. 

I just scheduled by 18 year old for a pfizer booster at CVS and didn't even need to check a box about his eligibility, FWIW. 

You feel comfortable boosting your teen boy?  Do you have data on that?  I am so worried, I have a teen boy and I just don't know what to do about it.  

[kokotg]

1 hour ago, mommyoffive said:

You feel comfortable boosting your teen boy?  Do you have data on that?  I am so worried, I have a teen boy and I just don't know what to do about it.  

Yes. He has a higher exposure level than I'm comfortable with if his immunity starts waning. He's planning to major in clarinet performance next year, so he plays in multiple indoor music ensembles right now. So yes, I'm more worried about the myocarditis risk or damage to his lungs from actual covid than I am about the tiny risk from the booster, particularly given how likely he is to be exposed. 

ETA: https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israel-reports-very-few-myocarditis-cases-after-pfizer-boosters-2021-10-01/

 

Edited October 14, 2021 by kokotg

[mommyoffive]

Is there any talk in the US about what to do about teens and boosting them?  Mine are 4 months from their 2nd shot of Pfizer.  And I know we were not even the earliest ones from when it got approved?  Is this coming up in a meeting or study or anything? 

[kokotg]

3 minutes ago, mommyoffive said:

Is there any talk in the US about what to do about teens and boosting them?  Mine are 4 months from their 2nd shot of Pfizer.  And I know we were not even the earliest ones from when it got approved?  Is this coming up in a meeting or study or anything? 

I haven't heard that that's up for discussion at the moment....it's only 18 and up right now; I'm hoping there will be more information/guidance by the time my 15 year old (also a wind player. Didn't seem like such a dangerous hobby back when they started!) is 6 months out in a couple of months (Israel is already boosting everyone 12 and over, it appears...so there'll be more and more data at least)

[kokotg]

6 minutes ago, mommyoffive said:

Is there any talk in the US about what to do about teens and boosting them?  Mine are 4 months from their 2nd shot of Pfizer.  And I know we were not even the earliest ones from when it got approved?  Is this coming up in a meeting or study or anything? 

(did you see the link I posted to the myocarditis booster numbers from Israel? I edited to add it, so it wasn't there at first)

[mommyoffive]

1 minute ago, kokotg said:

(did you see the link I posted to the myocarditis booster numbers from Israel? I edited to add it, so it wasn't there at first)

Thank you so much!!!!  I hadn't see or  heard that. 

[Spryte]

11 minutes ago, kokotg said:

Yes. He has a higher exposure level than I'm comfortable with if his immunity starts waning. He's planning to major in clarinet performance next year, so he plays in multiple indoor music ensembles right now. So yes, I'm more worried about the myocarditis risk or damage to his lungs from actual covid than I am about the tiny risk from the booster, particularly given how likely he is to be exposed. 

ETA: https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israel-reports-very-few-myocarditis-cases-after-pfizer-boosters-2021-10-01/

 

Yes, my teen turns 18 in January and is planning on getting boosted the next day. He’s got multiple risk factors that make any illness more serious, much less Covid. I’m more worried about his risk from catching Covid than risk from vaccine.

[Roadrunner]

10 minutes ago, mommyoffive said:

Is there any talk in the US about what to do about teens and boosting them?  Mine are 4 months from their 2nd shot of Pfizer.  And I know we were not even the earliest ones from when it got approved?  Is this coming up in a meeting or study or anything? 

I have teen boys as well. I haven’t heard anything about potentially opening up booster shots for this group. I will be curious to see if there is any protection after a year left from these shots. If there isn’t, I don’t see how they could justify withholding boosters from 12+

[kbutton]

15 hours ago, KSera said:

This is the reason there is uncertainty about Moderna boosters; one of the criteria was for the booster to boost levels 4 times what they were pre-boost, but since it hadn't waned as much, it didn't meet that criteria.

I think I missed this nuance. Thanks! DH had Moderna very early--I think maybe the end of December or first week of January was his first dose.

Rescheduled my booster and got it today. So far, so good. Met someone while there who had both doses of Moderna by February-ish, and she got a breakthrough infection from a trainee STNA. She had a mild case from what she described, but she did not find it mild, and she has some long Covid symptoms. She got two doses of Pfizer after that. I am not sure how, but I didn't ask. She said she's not fooling around with this. 

10 hours ago, Elizabeth86 said:

My mom keeps calling our health department and they keep saying not yet for her on getting the booster.

I had some difficulty getting the state's health department portal to give me dates and times, but I had no trouble scheduling directly through CVS.

Could it be something like she's not precisely at her 6 months, so she doesn't show up in their records as being ready? I know at times our portal has been really finicky about eligibility and scheduling--like, you had to be eligible that day to schedule a shot later on when your eligibility was actually coming up. It was kind of weird. 

[Roadrunner]

Moderna just got approved for a booster! 

[kokotg]

4 minutes ago, Roadrunner said:

Moderna just got approved for a booster! 

Really?! The FDA likes to keep people guessing!

[KSera]

11 hours ago, Elizabeth86 said:

My sister and her husband contacted covid a few months back. She was vaccinated and he wasn’t. They got it while he was getting scans to diagnose his newly discovered lung cancer. He had covid, pneumonia, blood clots. He has ended up with severe permanent neurological damage. They didn’t continue with his cancer treatments and have sent him home. They don’t expect him to make it through the next week or so. It’s so sad people out there brush it off and think this isn’t real.

Oh, I am so sorry about your BIL. That's really, really sad 😢.

[Elizabeth86]

9 hours ago, ktgrok said:

Can she just schedule (or you schedule for her) at CVS or similar? 

I mean, they just say that you can’t get a Moderna booster yet. I’m really out of the loop about the boosters.

[Elizabeth86]

49 minutes ago, Roadrunner said:

Moderna just got approved for a booster! 

Oh wow!

[Elizabeth86]

37 minutes ago, KSera said:

Oh, I am so sorry about your BIL. That's really, really sad 😢.

Thank you. It truly is heartbreaking.

[ktgrok]

1 hour ago, Roadrunner said:

Moderna just got approved for a booster! 

Oh thank goodness!

[melmichigan]

Moderna was approved at 50mcg for a booster dose.  Sadly the data that just came out about mixing was using a 100mcg Moderna booster.  I would think a half a dose will make some difference.

Edited October 15, 2021 by melmichigan

[Corraleno]

I think they will also approve the J&J "booster" (which is really the 2nd shot they should have had all along) shortly as well. I am hoping they will also remove the prohibition on mixing vaccine & booster doses, especially since people who got the J&J are much better off getting an mRNA booster.

[KSera]

28 minutes ago, melmichigan said:

Moderna was approved at 50mcg for a booster dose.  Sadly the data that just came out about mixing was using a 100mcg Moderna booster.  I would think a half a dose will make some difference.

I expect it likely makes some difference, but half a Moderna is still more than a full Pfizer, so I expect the overall ranking of what provides more protection is likely to stay about the same.

[mommyoffive]

5 hours ago, Roadrunner said:

Moderna just got approved for a booster! 

Any more info on this?  I just got home and haven't heard.  When can you get it?  

[Roadrunner]

2 minutes ago, mommyoffive said:

Any more info on this?  I just got home and haven't heard.  When can you get it?  

They basically gave the exact same recommendation as with Pfizer. 
I am guessing we could get it now in pharmacies, but I haven’t yet tried scheduling anything.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.cnbc.com/amp/2021/10/14/fda-panel-unanimously-recommends-moderna-covid-booster-shots-for-at-risk-adults.html

[dsmith]

Just saw my neurologist today, and she is recommending I wait until 8 months after my last dose for better protection and less side effects. In the meantime we have never stopped masking and avoid higher risk activities like eating in restaurants. I will take my elderly neighbor for a booster after I speak to his oncologist. He just had some really wonky bloodwork, so I don't want to do anything until he gives the ok. Mil had the Moderna vax, and it looks like the FDA advisers are recommending boosters, so hopefully that will happen soon. If Covid is going to hit this house it will be from her. She's the only one in the house that has gone out to eat, plus she has been in the hospital twice now. I know the staff masks, but the patients do not.

[Corraleno]

51 minutes ago, mommyoffive said:

Any more info on this?  I just got home and haven't heard.  When can you get it?  

What happened today was that the FDA's vaccine advisory committee (VRBPAC) recommended that Moderna boosters be approved under the same conditions as Pfizer. The next step is the CDC panel will meet next Wednesday and Thursday to review the data and make their own recommendation. Then the FDA will issue the approval; the earliest that could happen would be next Friday.

[Hoggirl]

11 hours ago, KSera said:

I expect it likely makes some difference, but half a Moderna is still more than a full Pfizer, so I expect the overall ranking of what provides more protection is likely to stay about the same.

Where could I read more about the efficacy of Moderna over Pfizer? 

[Faith-manor]

I called my dear friend from DWOB (my own GP has been, well, not helpful through all of this 😠), and he said that as soon as the CDC and FDA get done wrangling over the Moderna Booster recommendations, to head to the nearest pharmacy that is advertising they have it in stock, and check the box for high risk job. Hr said I do not need to volunteer anymore information than that. It is not their business if the eldercare I do is paid or unpaid, and my mother in law's immune system is fried. I drove her yesterday for some errands, masked, and we were the ONLY people in the grocery store that wore masks. There were easily 60 people in there. Though the hardware was not packed, we still came very close to several unmasked persons. The bank was the only place where masking was absolutely required, and their armed security guard makes people leave if they won't don one. She needs a JnJ booster, and because I am responsible for taking her all of these places, I need my Moderna boost or third dose. I would go full on third dose if I could find someone willing to give it to me, but will take the half dose and be thankful.

[Granny_Weatherwax]

Jumping in to say ~

This is what confuses me about the entire vaccine - booster process. My sister works for a public university. The university gave their employees the Moderna vaccines early on. Every person in my sister's office received a third Moderna shot about 6 weeks ago. I questioned her about it and she showed me her passport. She has indeed had three full strength Moderna vaccines. How? How did the university skirt protocol?
 

[Corraleno]

3 hours ago, Faith-manor said:

... my mother in law's immune system is fried. ... She needs a JnJ booster

I believe the FDA is in the process of reviewing data on mixing vaccines, and there is a good chance they will approve, and possibly even recommend, that people who got J&J get an mRNA booster, so you may want to wait for that ruling and then get her a Moderna booster (assuming she isn't allergic to something in the mRNA vaccines).

Edited October 15, 2021 by Corraleno

[Faith-manor]

13 minutes ago, Granny_Weatherwax said:

Jumping in to say ~

This is what confuses me about the entire vaccine - booster process. My sister works for a public university. The university gave their employees the Moderna vaccines early on. Every person in my sister's office received a third Moderna shot about 6 weeks ago. I questioned her about it and she showed me her passport. She has indeed had three full strength Moderna vaccines. How? How did the university skirt protocol?
 

Very likely they bought it for their own health center under the "for unvaxed students premise" and then gave it to their employees. Because the response from the FDA has been slow, and the messaging from the CDC has been one brick shy of a load, beyond the pale of inconsistency, it has become the wild wild west out there as colleges, companies, hospitals, you name it try to find their way out of this pandemic, and back to some normalcy. It didn't have to be this way, but it was.

They should have watched that episode from the last season of West Wing, the nuclear plant melt down one. The administration brought together the best experts, deferred to the most qualified people, and then spoke with one, organized, well thought out voice to the people, mobilized and marshalled all of their state and federal resources, quickly to implement the plan. Instead we have had something that looks like an Abbott and Costello routine implemented by the Marx Brothers with 50 states acting as a discombobulated mess. But apparently the "freedumb to spread diseases, let it rip crowd" really thinks that is the best way, and continue to lobby for it. Meanwhile, back at the ranch, the FDA approves a doesn't work Alzheimer's drug, but can't get around to talking about the very effective Merck drug, and the CDC can't find its car keys.

This is what happens when the playbook is thrown out, and the pandemic response team is fired, which is exactly what happened. Sigh.

[Faith-manor]

8 minutes ago, Corraleno said:

I believe the FDA is in the process of reviewing data on mixing vaccines, and there is a good chance they will approve, and possibly even recommend, that people who got J&J get an mRNA booster, so you way want to wait for that ruling and then get her a Moderna booster (assuming she isn't allergic to something in the mRNA vaccines).

She won't take the MRNA. Sigh. She believes some nuttiness about "DNA" that a relative told her. We were lucky to get her to take the JnJ. That said, we have some carrots out there for her. She desperately wants to go to a DSO concert (they require proof of vaccination), and she wants to go to the art museum. She can't drive, and it is so far away, she can't get a paid driver. So the only way she can go is if we take her, and right now we are having so many problems with her that the only way we will subject ourselves to it is if there is a benefit in return. So if JnJ gets approved, we intend on saying, "We will buy the very expensive tickets to take you to the DSO when you get your 2nd dose because then and only then will we feel that it is safe enough for us to be willing to take the risk of going." And that will be that.

 

[Rebel]

On 10/13/2021 at 7:12 PM, TarynB said:

If you don't mind me asking . . . since you knew your antibody level, was your antibody level diminished at around 6 months out from your second Moderna dose?

My level had declined by about 50% and while that is still okay, it is not as robust and I was very paranoid about returning to teaching in person. If I were going to continue working from home, I would have waited another month or two.

[TarynB]

1 hour ago, Rebel said:

My level had declined by about 50% and while that is still okay, it is not as robust and I was very paranoid about returning to teaching in person. If I were going to continue working from home, I would have waited another month or two.

Thank you. I would have been worried too. I'm glad you were able to get it when you did.

ETA - I was interested because I had Moderna too, back in March, and also have a couple of health issues. So thanks again for sharing.

Edited October 15, 2021 by TarynB

[Corraleno]

The advisory panel has recommended a 2nd shot of J&J for ALL recipients at least 2 months after the first. Should be approved by CDC next Thursday, and available within a day or two after that.

[Faith-manor]

2 minutes ago, Corraleno said:

The advisory panel has recommended a 2nd shot of J&J for ALL recipients at least 2 months after the first. Should be approved by CDC next Thursday, and available within a day or two after that.

Absolutely wonderful. My husband and youngest son will get them ASAP.

[melmichigan]

18 hours ago, KSera said:

I expect it likely makes some difference, but half a Moderna is still more than a full Pfizer, so I expect the overall ranking of what provides more protection is likely to stay about the same.

Higher doses don't always mean better effects in vaccines, we've shown that time and again. I imagine it will make a difference based on the study results when it comes to the numbers.  People were excited that Pfizer series followed by Moderna might elicit a much higher response, only now with half a dose the Pfizer series followed by Pfizer may be the better way to go, especially with myocarditis risks, or it might be a wash.  These are the results with a 100mcg Moderna booster, the 50 mcg was approved.  I'd be much happier with more doses and less side effects based on where I'm sitting now after the Moderna series.

There is a lot yet to be decided on J&J from today's information. The company obviously isn't supporting mixing with mRNA, but I think that train has already left the station.

Edited October 15, 2021 by melmichigan

[Syllieann]

34 minutes ago, Faith-manor said:

Absolutely wonderful. My husband and youngest son will get them ASAP.

You would be better off getting a Modern a booster, which could be on the discussion table next week.  It might be worth waiting a few extra days...unless you have a contraindication on the mrna.  If that's the case, carry on with the plan for J&J ASAP.