CDC now recommends boosters for all adults in the U.S.
Posted by Chris in Tampa on 11/29/2021, 10:03 pm
While all adults could previously get the booster, only for some was it recommended. Now they are saying everyone should get it.

https://www.cnn.com/2021/11/29/health/cdc-booster-guidance-omicron/index.html







CDC Expands COVID-19 Booster Recommendations

Media Statement
For Immediate Release: Monday, November 29, 2021

"The following is attributable to CDC Director, Dr. Rochelle Walensky

Today, CDC is strengthening its recommendation on booster doses for individuals who are 18 years and older. Everyone ages 18 and older should get a booster shot either when they are 6 months after their initial Pfizer or Moderna series or 2 months after their initial J&J vaccine.

The recent emergence of the Omicron variant (B.1.1.529) further emphasizes the importance of vaccination, boosters, and prevention efforts needed to protect against COVID-19. Early data from South Africa suggest increased transmissibility of the Omicron variant, and scientists in the United States and around the world are urgently examining vaccine effectiveness related to this variant. I strongly encourage the 47 million adults who are not yet vaccinated to get vaccinated as soon as possible and to vaccinate the children and teens in their families as well because strong immunity will likely prevent serious illness. I also want to encourage people to get a COVID-19 test if they are sick. Increased testing will help us identify Omicron quickly.

And finally, to stop the spread of COVID-19 we need to follow the prevention strategies we know work."

From:
https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2021/s1129-booster-recommendations.html







There's still not a lot of information about the new variant. The travel restrictions I think are just to buy us some time for it to spread less rapidly just in case it turns out to be worse in some ways. You can't stop it from spreading, it's already all over the world and it's only a matter of time before it is detected in the U.S., but if the spread is slowed some we have more time to maybe make some changes if needed. Of course everyone should be getting their boosters already.

A little bit of information from the WHO on the 26th about the variant when they designated the name Omicron:
https://www.who.int/news/item/26-11-2021-classification-of-omicron-(b.1.1.529)-sars-cov-2-variant-of-concern
And then an update on the 28th:
https://www.who.int/news/item/28-11-2021-update-on-omicron

Again, too early to know too much about it. We'll know more in a few weeks. This is just going to be what happens at times during the years to come. A new variant will appear and start to take hold and it will take some time to learn more about it. Does is spread more or less rapidly? More or less deadly? Easier to get re-infected? Does the vaccine work less against it? If so, now much? Do we need to alter the vaccine? Those kinds of things.
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Coronavirus - Thread #4 (Posts from September 24th - January 4th) - Chris in Tampa, 9/24/2021, 6:54 am
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