Should You Wait to Get a Booster Shot After COVID-19?

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsTimingContraindicationsImmunity After Covid-19Importance of Boosters

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Timing

Contraindications

Immunity After Covid-19

Importance of Boosters

Being infected with COVID-19 may temporarily improve your immunity. However, it’s unknown how long that protection lasts and how valuable it is against different variants of the virus. That’s why a booster is important as it provides added protection.People can receive a booster shot after COVID-19 when they no longer have symptoms. However, if someone was severely ill, or treated with certain drugs, they may need to wait up to three months for a booster shot.TimingIf you get a COVID-19 vaccine or booster while you have the virus, you may end up feeling worse—so it’s smart to wait until theinfection clears.Generally, you can get a booster when you’resymptom-free. Asymptomatic people should hold off on their next shot for at least five days after a positive COVID test.ContraindicationsIf you were severely ill from COVID-19 and/or hospitalized, ask your healthcare provider when you should get a booster. They may advise you to wait a few months. This is especially important if you were treated withmonoclonal antibodiesorconvalescent plasmasince these treatments can interfere with the body’s immune response to the vaccine.“These treatments do not make the vaccine less safe, but could make the vaccine less effective," saysWilliam Moss, MD, executive director of the International Vaccine Access Center at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. “After 90 days, these treatments should no longer interfere with the vaccine response.”How Long Does Immunity Last After COVID-19?A COVID-19 infection doesn’t make a person immune to the virus for a set amount of time. “It’s a common misconception that people who have had an infection from COVID now have robust immunity,” saysNatasha Bhuyan, MD, a family physician at One Medical. “The reality is that people develop different levels of immunity following a COVID infection, and we don’t know how long [that] immunity lasts.”Why You Need a BoosterVirusesmutate (change), so protection against COVID-19 from vaccines and prior infections decreases over time.“Booster doses partially restore [your] protection,” Dr. Moss says. “Importantly, vaccines remain protective against hospitalization and death.” The best way to maximize your protection—even after having COVID-19—is to get a booster shot when you are eligible.Booster Vs. VaccineMany people still use the term “booster” to describe an annual COVID-19 vaccine, but it’s not accurate. The current version is a one-shot vaccination (except for people who are immunocompromised or under 4 years.) Instead of increasing or “boosting” your protection, this updated COVID-19 vaccine helps your immune system target the current strains. Like flu vaccines, the COVID-19 vaccine is now designed to be an annual shot that be designed to target the most prevalent virus strains at that time.SummaryIt’s important to get a booster dose even after having COVID-19 because natural immunity isn’t always reliable. This is especially true with newer variants of the virus.After a COVID-19 infection, you can get the booster shot when you are symptom-free. However, if you were hospitalized and/or took certain drugs, you may need to wait up to three months. If you’re not sure when to get a vaccine or booster, ask your healthcare provider.

Being infected with COVID-19 may temporarily improve your immunity. However, it’s unknown how long that protection lasts and how valuable it is against different variants of the virus. That’s why a booster is important as it provides added protection.

People can receive a booster shot after COVID-19 when they no longer have symptoms. However, if someone was severely ill, or treated with certain drugs, they may need to wait up to three months for a booster shot.

If you get a COVID-19 vaccine or booster while you have the virus, you may end up feeling worse—so it’s smart to wait until theinfection clears.Generally, you can get a booster when you’resymptom-free. Asymptomatic people should hold off on their next shot for at least five days after a positive COVID test.

If you were severely ill from COVID-19 and/or hospitalized, ask your healthcare provider when you should get a booster. They may advise you to wait a few months. This is especially important if you were treated withmonoclonal antibodiesorconvalescent plasmasince these treatments can interfere with the body’s immune response to the vaccine.

“These treatments do not make the vaccine less safe, but could make the vaccine less effective,” saysWilliam Moss, MD, executive director of the International Vaccine Access Center at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. “After 90 days, these treatments should no longer interfere with the vaccine response.”

How Long Does Immunity Last After COVID-19?

A COVID-19 infection doesn’t make a person immune to the virus for a set amount of time. “It’s a common misconception that people who have had an infection from COVID now have robust immunity,” saysNatasha Bhuyan, MD, a family physician at One Medical. “The reality is that people develop different levels of immunity following a COVID infection, and we don’t know how long [that] immunity lasts.”

Why You Need a Booster

Virusesmutate (change), so protection against COVID-19 from vaccines and prior infections decreases over time.“Booster doses partially restore [your] protection,” Dr. Moss says. “Importantly, vaccines remain protective against hospitalization and death.” The best way to maximize your protection—even after having COVID-19—is to get a booster shot when you are eligible.

Booster Vs. VaccineMany people still use the term “booster” to describe an annual COVID-19 vaccine, but it’s not accurate. The current version is a one-shot vaccination (except for people who are immunocompromised or under 4 years.) Instead of increasing or “boosting” your protection, this updated COVID-19 vaccine helps your immune system target the current strains. Like flu vaccines, the COVID-19 vaccine is now designed to be an annual shot that be designed to target the most prevalent virus strains at that time.

Booster Vs. Vaccine

Many people still use the term “booster” to describe an annual COVID-19 vaccine, but it’s not accurate. The current version is a one-shot vaccination (except for people who are immunocompromised or under 4 years.) Instead of increasing or “boosting” your protection, this updated COVID-19 vaccine helps your immune system target the current strains. Like flu vaccines, the COVID-19 vaccine is now designed to be an annual shot that be designed to target the most prevalent virus strains at that time.

Summary

It’s important to get a booster dose even after having COVID-19 because natural immunity isn’t always reliable. This is especially true with newer variants of the virus.

After a COVID-19 infection, you can get the booster shot when you are symptom-free. However, if you were hospitalized and/or took certain drugs, you may need to wait up to three months. If you’re not sure when to get a vaccine or booster, ask your healthcare provider.

3 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Cleveland Clinic.COVID vaccine.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Staying up to date with COVID-19 vaccines.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Staying Up to Date With COVID-19 Vaccines.

3 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Cleveland Clinic.COVID vaccine.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Staying up to date with COVID-19 vaccines.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Staying Up to Date With COVID-19 Vaccines.

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Cleveland Clinic.COVID vaccine.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Staying up to date with COVID-19 vaccines.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Staying Up to Date With COVID-19 Vaccines.

Cleveland Clinic.COVID vaccine.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Staying up to date with COVID-19 vaccines.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Staying Up to Date With COVID-19 Vaccines.

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