5 Answers to the Most Common Questions About the New COVID-19 Boosters

There’s no denying the “summer surge” of COVID-19 cases. At this point, we’ve come to expect an uptick in cases during the winter, like we would with the flu, but a new COVID strain called KP.2 has taken hold in many states across the U.S. these past few months. In response to this, and to prepare for the anticipated “winter wave” of cases near the end of the year, the FDA approved two updated COVID vaccines for emergency use last Thursday. The new mRNA boosters—from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna—have been crafted to help fight the KP.2 strain (an offshoot of the Omicron variant) and other potential strains we’ll encounter this winter.

Both boosters will be available to the public in the next few weeks, and it’s advised that everyone ages 6 months and older receive the vaccine. Another brand, called Novavax, has an updated vaccine that aligns with FDA recommendations. (The brand is also working with the FDA to review its 2024-2025 COVID vaccine formulation—which targets the JN.1 or “parent strain” to the current circulating variants.) Peter Marks, MD, director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research said in a recent statement, “new vaccines should cut the risk of getting COVID by 60 to 70 percent, and reduce the chances of getting seriously ill by 80 to 90 percent.”

In years past, the recommendation has been to get your COVID booster as soon as it’s available, especially if you’re older than 65, immunocompromised, or have an underlying health condition. But if you had COVID this summer, or are an otherwise healthy person, should you get this new COVID booster now?

If you’re on the fence, we spoke with William Schaffner, MD, a professor of preventive medicine and health policy in the division of infectious diseases at Vanderbilt University, to learn more.

Why are new COVID boosters being offered?

Just like flu vaccines are updated each year because the virus changes, the same is true with COVID. “COVID mutates and changes more rapidly than the influenza virus does. So it was decided to update the vaccine on an annual basis and then promote its use during the fall and winter, just as we do with influenza vaccines and RSV [vaccines] for some people,” Dr. Schaffner says.

“We make every fall a season where the population of the U.S. gets itself protected against those viral winter respiratory infections, which can be so serious. These new boosters are updated to cover the new strains, and the lab studies would indicate that what we have in the boosters are highly likely to provide good protection against serious disease,” he adds.

Does this booster protect against all Omicron variants?

Because the virus changes so rapidly, Dr. Schaffner says you can think of KP.2 and other strains “as the children or grandchildren of Omicron; they’re all in the same family and rather closely related.”

As far as whether these boosters will protect you from Omicron? “The lab studies, which have been very predictive in the past, give us every reason to be confident that what’s in the vaccines now will indeed protect us during the winter,” Dr. Schaffner says. “We’re anticipating, and everyone’s got their fingers crossed of course, that this (i.e., Omicron and KP.2) will be the most dominant strain during the winter,” he adds.

Should you get the booster now if you had COVID over the summer?

According to Dr. Schaffner, if you got the virus over the summer, or received a summertime vaccine dose, “you should wait about three months before getting the new booster.” That’s because your body has built up natural immunity after having the virus, so getting the vaccine too soon could mean your immunity wears off more quickly, meaning you won’t be protected as well throughout winter—including into February and March, he notes.

So if you tested positive in July, for example, you may want to wait until October to get your booster, to maximize your protection.

When’s the best time to get the new COVID boosters?

“The best time for everyone to be vaccinated is at the end of September or beginning of October, or through the month of October. That’s because it will provide the best reach of protection throughout the winter,” Dr. Schaffner says. This recommendation also stands for those who are over 65, are immunocompromised, or have underlying health conditions. Whether you’re healthy or otherwise, getting the booster at the end of September or beginning of October is advised.

“If you get [the vaccine] too soon, especially if you’re in the older, frail, or immunocompromised group, that protection will start to diminish by that time. You don’t want to get it too soon,” he adds.

Just keep in mind: If you happen to get COVID in September or October before getting your booster, you may want to wait awhile before vaccination, as your natural antibodies can support your immune system against reinfection for several months, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. If you’re ever unsure about what to do, reach out to your primary care doctor for advice.

When will the new COVID boosters be available?

“It’s not quite distributed yet, but we anticipate it will start to become available probably within the next couple of weeks,” Dr. Schaffner says. And that’s perfect timing, he notes, because September/October is when we should be getting our influenza vaccines, too. “You can get both vaccines at the same time, one in one arm and one in the other,” he adds. You can also get the RSV vaccine during the same appointment if you’re eligible and at risk of this virus, he notes.

Getting them all at the same time means “you don’t have to come back for another vaccine,” Dr. Schaffner says. Even if you have the best intentions, you’re a lot less likely to make that second trip. “A vaccine deferred is unfortunately a vaccine never received,” Dr. Schaffner says.

Why getting boosted is still important—for children and adults

“We have to recognize that there’s still a lot of vaccine skepticism, fatigue, and disinterest out there. Last year at this time, when the vaccine became available, only about 24 percent of the eligible population elected to receive it, and that was a great disappointment. So we hope there’s a larger proportion of the population who come in and roll up their sleeves,” Dr. Schaffner says. To help ensure this happens, Dr. Schaffner notes the U.S. government is planning to roll out a program that helps people without insurance or Medicare coverage get vaxxed.

“The recommendations are very comprehensive and the same as for the influenza vaccine: If you’re 6 months or older, you should get vaccinated. The entire U.S. population is recommended to get this vaccine, and I would hope that they feel comfortable and reassured that this a good thing for themselves, their families, and their communities,” Dr. Schaffner says.

He emphasizes these vaccines are designed to prevent severe disease and keep people out of the hospital. They are also great for protecting children (who aren’t at as high risk of severe infection and hospitalization, but it can happen) and helping prevent long COVID in both children and adults.

What else you can do to reduce the spread of COVID-19 going into fall and winter

Dr. Schaffner notes that while recommendations for preventing infection will start with vaccination, there are other personal things you can do to keep yourself healthy this season. Wear a mask if you’re considered high-risk or are traveling, for example, or if you’re spending a lot of time indoors in a community where viral load is high. Practice social distancing if you or someone you know has just been sick. And of course, wash your hands often to stop the spread of all germs—not just COVID.

—reviewed by Jennifer Logan, MD, MPH