When Should I Schedule My Next COVID Vaccine?
Sep 17, 2024
Although the fervor surrounding COVID-19 has significantly subsided since 2020, it's still a viable threat to people of all ages. Vaccines have played a pivotal role in reducing the number of illnesses and deaths related to the coronavirus-based disease.
A COVID-19 vaccine is crucial to your health throughout the year, but many people don't know when to get their next dose. It's vital to stay up-to-date on this and other vaccines to ensure your health through the fall and winter months.
The experienced team at Prudent Medical Providers offers vaccines and COVID testing to keep you healthy.
Sarah Philips, DPN, APRN, and Jorein Teves, MSN, APRN, FNP-C, provide the latest guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to update you on what vaccines are necessary for your needs.
A vaccine protects your body against harmful bacteria and viruses that can lead to lifelong complications or death. Researchers have developed a vaccine to address the coronavirus that causes COVID-19.
Different types of COVID-19 vaccines help your body recognize the virus without putting you in harm's way. The two forms of the COVID-19 vaccine are:
Moderna and Pfizer BioNTech brands are mRNA vaccines. They work by entering the muscle cells and producing a tiny particle of the spike protein, which is present on the surface of the COVID-19 virus. Your body recognizes that the protein is foreign, breaks it down, and removes the mRNA.
The body then displays the spike protein piece on the surface of your muscle cells, and the immune system recognizes it as foreign, so it creates antibodies and charges other immune cells to eliminate the protein.
If you come into contact with COVID-19, your body can recognize the virus to effectively attack it and prevent serious illness.
Protein subunit vaccines work similarly to mRNA vaccines because they also use the spike protein on the surface of the virus. However, these vaccines contain another essential component – the adjuvant, which helps the body make antibodies against the COVID-19 virus.
The protein subunit vaccine works just like the mRNA vaccine. After the vaccine is administered, the cells pick up the spike protein and recognize it as an invader. The adjuvant helps the body fight off further infections with greater antibody production.
Both vaccines are highly beneficial, but who needs one? According to the CDC, anyone 6 months or older should receive a COVID-19 vaccine. Children between 6 months and 4 years old may need to receive more than one vaccine.
The CDC recommends that people 5 years and older receive the updated version of the COVID-19 vaccine if they have never received the vaccine, or they got it before September 12, 2023.
Anyone who is immunocompromised or otherwise at high risk for fighting off COVID-19 should get additional doses of the newest and most up-to-date vaccine. Those who are over the age of 65 should receive another dose four months after the initial dose.
Our team stays current with the CDC's guidelines on COVID-19 vaccinations. We follow their current recommendations on the vaccine for people of all ages.
The best way to know if you're up-to-date with your COVID-19 vaccine is to call our office and schedule an appointment. We review your health history and previous vaccinations to determine if you need another dose or are fine until the next round comes out.
The CDC updated its recommendations for the upcoming flu and COVID-19 season on June 27, 2024. The agency recommends that everyone over 6 months of age receive the new 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine, even if they've had previous vaccinations.
The new round of vaccines should be available in early fall. Getting the new vaccine is crucial because the COVID-19 virus is constantly evolving, making it harder to keep people protected without the latest vaccine.
It's also safe to get the new flu and COVID vaccine simultaneously to protect yourself during the upcoming flu and COVID season.
To schedule a COVID or flu vaccine, don't hesitate to call Prudent Medical Providers today in Federal Way or Tacoma, Washington, or request a consultation using our convenient online scheduling tool.