As we head into 2022, we are also heading into our third year of navigating the COVID-19 pandemic and approaching the one-year anniversary of when COVID vaccines became widely available to the public.

Vaccination is the most effective tool we have against COVID-19. Vaccines are safe and continue to be effective at preventing severe illness, hospitalizations and deaths against all variants of the virus, including Delta and Omicron. The process to develop the vaccines was systematic with each U.S. vaccine, undergoing rigorous clinical trials. No steps were skipped or overlooked.

If you remain unvaccinated, you and your family may be at risk of serious lifelong complications from COVID-19 infection. Vaccination can prevent regret and fear that someone you love will become severely ill or even die from COVID-19; for example, from transmission between family members. It also helps to protect healthcare workers and ensure there is enough staff to care for other sick or injured patients.

According to Colorado-specific data, about 80 percent of people who are currently hospitalized with COVID-19 complications are unvaccinated.

If you still have questions about getting your initial dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, please reach out to your trusted healthcare provider. Memorial Regional Health is here to answer and address any of your concerns so you can make the best decision for your and your family’s health.

You can also utilize resources from the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment about the vaccine here.

Here’s what we know about vaccines at this point and how they protect individuals against COVID-19’s many variants.

Booster eligibility and importance

Booster shots are the best protection against Omicron and Delta variants of the COVID-19 virus. Those who receive their booster are nearly 50 times less likely to be hospitalized if they get COVID-19, according to recently released information. These extra doses of the vaccine help to “boost” your immune system, enabling better protection against illness, since it’s normal for some vaccines to wane or become slightly less effective over time.

So, am I eligible to receive my booster shot?

Many individuals who have already received their initial dose(s) of the COVID-19 vaccine are eligible to receive their booster.

• If you are 12 years of age or older, you are eligible to receive a booster if you received your second dose of a vaccine at least five months ago. Children 5-11 with a weakened immune system can receive a Pfizer booster after 28 days. Teens 12-17 old may only get a Pfizer booster.
• If you received a Moderna vaccine at least five months ago, you are eligible to receive a booster if you are 18 years of age or older.
• If you received a Johnson & Johnson vaccine at least two months ago, you are eligible to receive a booster if you are 18 years of age or older.

If you are 18 years or older, it is advised you either get the Moderna or Pfizer vaccines as your booster.

What if I recently had a breakthrough infection, meaning I got COVID-19 in between my initial doses and my booster?

If you recently had a COVID-19 breakthrough infection and are older than 16 years old, it is recommended that you get your COVID booster as soon as your symptoms have resolved and you have ended your quarantine/isolation period — and the recommended time has elapsed since your initial series (listed above). For most people, this is about 10 days, but for the immunocompromised, this is around 20 days.

If you received monoclonal antibodies, you should wait 90 days before receiving your booster.

What does it mean to mix and match your booster vaccine?

As listed above, if you are an adult, you do not have to get the same vaccine as you did previously; meaning if you want to switch from Moderna to Pfizer for your booster, you can.

Mixing and matching is effective, especially for individuals who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. It is highly suggested these individuals switch to Pfizer or Moderna for their second dose.

Will I need to get a fourth dose of the vaccine, as other variants continue to develop?

As of right now, there is no data to suggest that fourth doses will be necessary for the general public — but it is still too soon to tell. Current Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines state that immunocompromised groups could become eligible for a fourth dose six months after their third dose.

Do booster shots work against COVID-19 variants, such as Omicron?

Most healthcare experts agree that a booster shot is likely to give you additional protection against variants of COVID-19. These vaccines provide your body with more neutralizing antibodies to fight off the virus.

How long does it take for my booster shot to start working?

Booster shots become effective in just a few days, as opposed to the initial COVID-19 vaccination series, which takes seven to 10 days to mount a strong response inside of an individual’s immune system.

Side effects are similar to those that occur after the initial two-dose series. Fatigue and pain at the injection site are the most reported side effects of the booster. Most symptoms are mild to moderate, according to the CDC.

Vaccine information for children 5-17

The CDC recommends children ages 5 through 17 get the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. Clinical trials showed the vaccine was safe and effective in preventing symptomatic COVID-19 in this age group. Most importantly, the vaccine was 100% effective in preventing severe disease.

While children are less likely to get seriously sick or die from the virus than their adult counterparts, they are still at risk and can spread the virus to others. The American Academy of Pediatrics reported more than 325,000 cases in children at the end of 2021. Since the onset of the pandemic, nearly 7.9 million children have tested positive for COVID, and nearly 1,000 have died from the virus.

Getting vaccinated means children can get back to living their normal lifestyles and participating in their favorite hobbies, sports and activities. It also decreases their risk of spreading COVID to those they love, like their grandparents or other at-risk family members.

But what about vaccine-induced myocarditis deaths?

The CDC presented data on the investigations into vaccine-induced myocarditis deaths among people younger than 30 years old. Among 86 million doses, there have been nine reports of vaccine-induced myocarditis deaths. Among these nine cases, six have been fully investigated thus far. Three deaths were confirmed as myocarditis.

Importantly, all three were due to classic myocarditis (caused by infection of a bacteria/virus) and not due to the vaccine. No myocarditis deaths have been linked to the vaccine in the United States.

What if my child has underlying health conditions?

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommends the vaccine for all children, regardless of their underlying health conditions. Of the pediatric COVID-19 hospitalizations, about 32% of children did not have underlying health conditions. It appears that severe disease from the virus is random among children.

What if my child already had COVID?

They should still get the vaccine. Although children have a higher percentage of detectable antibodies from natural infection than adults, natural immunity on a population level is insufficient in protecting kids, the ACIP said, as natural immunity protection is random and there is no way to protect who will get strong protection and who will get no protection from it.

The risk of reinfection after natural infection is two to five times higher than the risk of reinfection with vaccines. Vaccination following infection increases protection from subsequent infection, including in the setting of more infectious variants (like Omicron).

For other frequently asked questions about COVID-19 immunizations for children, learn more here.