Why are we focusing on boosters instead of the unvaccinated?

[Anonymous]

First, I am skeptical boosters will make any difference in the course of the pandemic compared to vaccinating more people for a variety of reasons:

-Though studies show efficacy at preventing infection wanes, the two vaccines in question were still 95% effective at preventing hospitalization. And most infections are still in the unvaccinated. The unvaccinated are the driver of the pandemic.
-There is likely to be confusing government messaging about boosters
-I think uptake will be lower than for the vaccine. For people who had access issues in the first place it may be too much of a hassle. And I think there will be a camp of people who gladly took the vaccine but will have "booster hesitancy." I think the messaging will contribute to this. They will say now it is just not a one time thing but something I have to do every 6 months for the rest of my life.

Second, the idea of COVID boosters seem to be more in line with a COVID zero mentality than with COVID is endemic mentality. People have unreasonable expectations about vaccines. No one said they were 100 percent effective. They greatly reduce the risk of hospitalization and death. What is the marginal benefit for a fully vaccinated person? Preventing mostly mild breakthrough infections?

The WHO is not recommending boosters. Obviously unlike the CDC they are concerned about much of the world's population not being vaccinated at all.

[Anonymous]

All valid points. The fact is, nobody knows whats next. Buckle up.

[Anonymous]

I don't think we are going to move the needle much on the unvaccinated in the US.

Now if we could find a way to efficiently ship doses to Africa and make sure the infrastructure was there to use them, I'd chip in time to help out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:All valid points. The fact is, nobody knows whats next. Buckle up.

+1 Without boosters, we may all end up virtually unvaccinated.

[Anonymous]

Because Fox and rightwing media lie to 40% of the country.

It’s a lot easier to persuade those who live in reality to get a booster than it is to break Murdoch’s hold on the unvaccinated.

[Anonymous]

If someone is unvaccinated at this point, there is no reason to assume that they won't stay that way

[Anonymous]

I’m immunocompromised due to cancer. I fought to get two shots as quickly as I could. Then I got the bad news that my immune system didn’t respond. Getting the third shot could keep me from getting very ill or dying. I’m not taking a shot away from anyone in the US. We have plenty.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m immunocompromised due to cancer. I fought to get two shots as quickly as I could. Then I got the bad news that my immune system didn’t respond. Getting the third shot could keep me from getting very ill or dying. I’m not taking a shot away from anyone in the US. We have plenty.

I think many/most people support 3rd shots for the immunocompromised and I hope you have a good immune response this time.

It's the boosters for incompetent adults just because part of the immune system response may be waning that people are questioning.

[Anonymous]

Probably politics, and the fact that we actually can't stop people from getting boosters once they start to think it's necesary and the vaccines are approved.

[Anonymous]

I am unvaccinated but have already had covid. My blood is still showing antibodies, 9 months later. Pretty sure I don't need a vaccine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:First, I am skeptical boosters will make any difference in the course of the pandemic compared to vaccinating more people for a variety of reasons:

-Though studies show efficacy at preventing infection wanes, the two vaccines in question were still 95% effective at preventing hospitalization. And most infections are still in the unvaccinated. The unvaccinated are the driver of the pandemic.
-There is likely to be confusing government messaging about boosters
-I think uptake will be lower than for the vaccine. For people who had access issues in the first place it may be too much of a hassle. And I think there will be a camp of people who gladly took the vaccine but will have "booster hesitancy." I think the messaging will contribute to this. They will say now it is just not a one time thing but something I have to do every 6 months for the rest of my life.

Second, the idea of COVID boosters seem to be more in line with a COVID zero mentality than with COVID is endemic mentality. People have unreasonable expectations about vaccines. No one said they were 100 percent effective. They greatly reduce the risk of hospitalization and death. What is the marginal benefit for a fully vaccinated person? Preventing mostly mild breakthrough infections?

The WHO is not recommending boosters. Obviously unlike the CDC they are concerned about much of the world's population not being vaccinated at all.

There's a theory that the third booster will provide more durable immunity. Plenty of vaccines are given in a series of 3 or 4; a third mRNA does not necessarily mean that boosters will be needed annually.

[Anonymous]

The half of the US population that is fully vaccinated does not want to catch or spread Covid and many of them are medically vulnerable. I personally know two fully vaccinated friends that had symptomatic Covid after they were fully vaccinated and they both said it was pretty scary, even though they weren't hospitalized. I am so glad they had some protection from their shots at least or it could have been so much worse.

As efficacy wanes people are not going to want do things like send their children to school or work in person (not talking primarily about office workers who have the option to WFH but rather people who have the option to either work in person or not work at all). This will impact the economy and further set children's education back. My parents already missed out on a lot of time with their only granddaughter and they aren't getting any younger. It sucks but some people are going to choose not to protect themselves. Give the rest of us the option to protect ourselves with the doses they don't want to use. I agree with Biden that we can do two things at once.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m immunocompromised due to cancer. I fought to get two shots as quickly as I could. Then I got the bad news that my immune system didn’t respond. Getting the third shot could keep me from getting very ill or dying. I’m not taking a shot away from anyone in the US. We have plenty.

Honest question. Can you explain why immunocompromised folks would have a better result from a 3rd vaccine dose than from the first two doses? I've not seen this explained anywhere.

[Anonymous]

What will it mean to be "fully vaccinated?" Three doses for everyone? Three doses only for the vulnerable and immunocompromised? A booster within the past 6 months? I think it will get very complicated.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m immunocompromised due to cancer. I fought to get two shots as quickly as I could. Then I got the bad news that my immune system didn’t respond. Getting the third shot could keep me from getting very ill or dying. I’m not taking a shot away from anyone in the US. We have plenty.

I think many/most people support 3rd shots for the immunocompromised and I hope you have a good immune response this time.

It's the boosters for incompetent adults just because part of the immune system response may be waning that people are questioning.

I feel like unlike with the initial vaccine, the CDC/white house statement the other day recommending boosters was not met with unanimous support from the medical community. Many articles had experts questioning the need for most people under 65. There are different messages, and this is leaving people confused.