Now that Pfizer has requested boosters for all adults, should you get a COVID booster before you travel?

As the days draw closer to the high travel season of Thanksgiving and with COVID-19 cases on the rise in 20 states, there is now pressure to get American adults to get their booster shots as soon as possible. Pfizer and BioNTech file a request Tuesday the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to allow third doses for all adults at least 18 years old, but the time frame could be shortened for those who wish to receive a booster before their turkey dinner.

It will likely take “a few weeks before full approval” for all adults, says UC San Francisco infectious disease medical educator Dr Peter Chin Hong. “It should happen in time for most of the vacation travel though.”

But some regions do not wait for this seal of approval. In the Bay Area of ​​California, Santa Clara County on Wednesday opened booster shots to any adult vaccinated six months or more ago. “We want to protect the public and prevent a wave of COVID-19 as the holiday season approaches,” county health official Dr Sara Cody said, according to the San José Mercury News. “Get your booster now and make your Thanksgiving gathering safer.”

With urgency coming from some corners but federal approval still pending, it’s difficult to determine whether or not travelers should rush to get their snapshots. But ultimately it all depends on the age and exposure group to which an individual belongs.

Chin-Hong divides the population into three categories, urging people aged 65 or older who received the vaccine six months or earlier to make a recall appointment as soon as possible. “Vaccine immunity decreases enough to increase not only breakthrough infections but also breakthrough hospitalizations in this group,” he said.

People aged 18 to 64 at higher risk of exposure in the workplace are generally still “well protected”. That said, “even a breakthrough infection that looks like a cold or allergies will lead to potential isolation and time away from work that could negatively impact the workforce, the economy and morale,” said Chin-Hong. Both of these groups are currently eligible for recalls by the Centers for Disaster Control and Prevention standards.

The rest of the population is still “well protected against serious illness,” according to Chin-Hong – and they are the ones for whom Pfizer’s new approval is imminent.

“As long as people at medium risk have received their two doses of Pfizer and their second dose is at least two weeks before travel, their immunity should be sufficient to protect them from serious illness or hospitalization. COVID-19 infection, “says Columbia University Irving Medical Center primary care medical director Dr. David Buchholz:” It’s true whether the second dose was two weeks ago or 10 years ago. month.”

This means that even if the approval for the recall arrives, but individuals are not able to get theirs until the Thanksgiving trip, there is no cause for concern.

For those who have received Moderna, there is no need to worry about a reminder just yet, with Buchholz adding, “Moderna’s medium-risk recipients don’t need to be so worried that two weeks have passed since their second dose. “And regardless of which vaccine is given in the first round, the booster can be one of three vaccines distributed in the United States, According to the CDC. (Boosters are already approved and recommended for all adults who initially received the Johnson & Johnson Janssen vaccine two months after their single dose.)

Travelers should always be aware that boosters don’t mean he’s free to roam the world amid the pandemic, especially since the rest of the world is on different time frames. “Watch the destination’s COVID statistics like you watch the weather report,” Chin-Hong says. “Yes [it’s] high (like much of Europe now), postpone the trip, or take the usual precautions (like masks if there are a lot of people inside).

Buchholz also says he is paying attention to primary vaccination rates in destinations. “Take more precautions if the area has lower vaccination rates,” he adds.

During this interim period, as the FDA reviews the authorization of boosters for all adults, it comes down to comparing personal statistics to those of the destination. But ultimately, when the time comes, experts all seem to agree that the extra jab is the way to go. “Boosters are safe, readily available and people can always integrate [them] in their travel schedule, ”says Chin-Hong. Buchholz adds: “Everyone should get vaccinated and boosted when it’s their turn. “