Many overdue for second COVID booster: 'You may actually not have much protection'

“I don’t have specific data about how many people in Oklahoma who are eligible for the (second booster) have actually received it. But we are concerned that the percentage is quite low,” said Dr. Aaron Wendelboe, an epidemiologist and associate professor at the University of Oklahoma College of Public Health.

Wendelboe, who spoke this week as part of a Healthier Oklahoma Coalition virtual panel, added, “Unless your health care provider recommends otherwise, it’s really recommended that you go and get that (second booster).”

In its most recent advisory two weeks ago, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention strengthened its recommendation for the second booster, strongly advising all adults ages 50 and older and anyone 12 and older who’s immunocompromised to get the shot if four or more months have passed since their first booster shot.

Along with a steady increase in cases nationally over the past month, the CDC cited as concerning “a steep and substantial increase” in hospitalizations for older Americans.

The CDC noted that while older Americans have the highest coverage of any age group through first booster doses, in most cases they received their last dose many months ago.

Ellen Niemitalo, Tulsa Health Department manager of clinic services, said THD is following CDC guidance and “recommends that anyone who is in either of those two categories get a second booster.”

“The booster is really intended to just boost the individual’s immune response,” she said.

Niemitalo added that COVID case rates in Tulsa County have increased but that, thankfully, hospitalizations and deaths have not.

Vaccination is an important tool for keeping it that way, she said, as new variants emerge and the health community shifts its focus more to preventing serious illness and death.

Why many older Oklahomans might not have followed up with the second booster yet is anyone’s guess, the Healthy Oklahoma Coalition panelists said.

“With many of my own patients, it’s that they’ve just simply forgotten that they need to do it. It’s more common than you think,” said Dr. Jean Hausheer, leader of the coalition’s COVID-19 Task Force.

Also, after they’ve gotten the first two vaccine doses, people can become overconfident, Dr. George Diaz said.

“They think they should be fine, and that’s not the case. Vaccine effectiveness wanes over time,” said Diaz, division chief of medicine at Providence Regional Medical Center Everett in Everett, Washington.

“Right now, what we’re seeing is that usually about four months after a booster you start seeing significant waning of effectiveness. And by about 150 days, you may actually not have much protection at all.”

Wendelboe said there’s been confusion about vaccine effectiveness due to the fact that many vaccinated and boosted people are still getting the Omicron variant.

“One thing to keep in mind is when we talk about ‘effective against,’ sometimes we’re talking about effectiveness against infection, hospitalization and death. And the main point is that these boosters are effective at preventing hospitalization and death,” he said.

“So some people will say, ‘I might still get infected.’ Well, that might be true, but it’ll keep you out of the hospital, especially if you’re in those higher risk vulnerable groups.”

“The boosters do work,” Diaz added.

Wendelboe said he’s sympathetic to people who just want to put COVID behind them and move on.

“And there’s something to be said about moving on,” he said. “At the same time, if we completely ignore it, when you forget about public health, that virus can spread unchecked in a community.”

For more information or to schedule a free COVID vaccination, go to the Tulsa Health Department website at tulsa-health.org or call 918-582-9355.

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