BALTIMORE — This week, many people across Maryland will be rolling up their sleeves to get the new single-dose bivalent booster shot for COVID-19.
Health experts say the new boosters will create a stronger layer of protection, but some people are hesitant about putting another vaccine into their body.
"Well thinking about it, but I'm kinda doubting it, little bit, but you never know. It might be a good thing," said Amy Mbaye.
Many people question what's different about this vaccine and why should they continue putting new doses in their body. Medical professionals say this new booster is more advanced.
"They're so much more targeted than the original technology two years ago, some of the key benefits here aren't just preventing severe COVID, they can potentially also take away some mild infection. So for many of those listeners who are 'like I got COVID, I've been vaccinated, it was the worst flu like symptoms I've ever felt,' we're hoping with more precise targeting, we can even stop that," said Panagis Galiatsatos, MD, MHS assistant professor, division of pulmonary & critical care medicine Johns Hopkins medicine.
"I think it’s great, it's come out, I need a second booster and I kind of been waiting. I think having a vaccine that is more targeted to the latest variant is a really great thing," said Ray Heil, Baltimore County.
Health professionals recommend people schedule it soon, as they expect high demand. Experts specifically encourage parents to think about boosting their kids who are 12 and older.
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"For parents, this is one of the ways, probably the safest way to make someone's immune system smart, by allowing us to take that immune system and give it insight into how to defeat an infection that really could ravage a child. And so, from a parent's standpoint, the vaccine concept has been around for hundreds of years. It is safe, and the status of how many they're getting, I promise you, it's an alignment with their physiology," said Galiatsatos.
If you already got vaccinated or boosted and it's been at least two months you can receive the new dose right away.
