With Pennsylvania in the midst of its most intense COVID-19 surge yet, chances of coming into contact with the virus have never been higher.
Luckily, we have an extremely effective tool for protecting ourselves, our loved ones, and our communities: booster shots.
Getting a booster dose of a COVID-19 vaccine not only reduces your chances of developing a symptomatic case of COVID-19 if you are exposed, but it significantly cuts the likelihood, if you do get sick, that you will develop severe symptoms and require hospital care. Getting boosted is even more important now because doing so offers much greater protection against the omicron variant than only completing an initial series of vaccines.
Yet, despite the benefits, just more than a third of Pennsylvanians who are eligible for boosters have received one. Nationally, less than half of the eligible population has been boosted and only a quarter of Americans are fully vaccinated and boosted.
Here are five things to know:
- This latest COVID-19 surge is the most intense yet: Holiday gatherings and the extremely contagious omicron variant combined to cause a major spike in COVID-19 cases. Pennsylvania averaged more than 26,500 new reported COVID-19 cases per day during the first half of January. For comparison, the state averaged about 9,100 reported new cases per day during the second-highest surge in December 2020
- Boosters offer significant protection against omicron: A recent, multistate study of COVID-19 cases in December and January by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) looked at the benefits of receiving a third dose of an mRNA vaccine, which includes the Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna shots. The CDC found that boosters were 90 percent effective at preventing hospitalization due to omicron and 82 percent effective at preventing symptoms that led to emergency room and urgent care visits. Comparatively, the study found that only two doses of the vaccine received at least six months ago were only 57 percent effective at preventing hospitalizations and 38 percent effective at preventing emergency room and urgent care visits
- Many Pennsylvanians are eligible: Anyone age 12 or older who received a second dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech or Moderna vaccine five months ago or a single dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine two months ago is eligible to get a booster
- You can mix and match boosters: Your booster shot does not have to be the same brand as your initial vaccine series. In fact, the CDC recommends, in most situations, getting the Pfizer/BioNTech or Moderna vaccine, even if you previously received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine
- It’s not too late to get your first COVID-19 vaccine: If you haven’t received your first or second vaccine dose yet, it’s not too late. Vaccines offer the most effective protection against COVID-19 and significantly reduce the likelihood of severe symptoms, hospitalization, and death
You can find appointments to receive your initial or booster dose of a COVID-19 vaccine online.