Should mesothelioma patients get the COVID-19 vaccine booster?
When dealing with malignant mesothelioma it is important to take care of your health and wellbeing both physically and emotionally. As we all know the past year and a half we have been dealing with the COVID-19 virus and disruptions to our health and lives. Progress has been made with testing and vaccinations but not without questions.
According to the U.S Coronavirus Vaccine Tracker as of August 2021, 62% of the US population have received at least one dose of the vaccine. Fully vaccinated people make up 53% of the population.
It is expected that this year the COVID-19 booster shot will be made available for everyone in the United States to provide additional protection against the COVID virus. For some people they may have already received their third shot.
What is the difference between a third dose and a booster shot There are different reasons for people to get a third dose and a booster shot.
The patient’s that have already received the third dose are receiving it because the first two doses may not have mounted enough of a defense against COVID-19 initially. For some people who have a compromised immune system it has been found that they had little or no protection following the two doses of mRNA COVID-19 vaccine. Certain cancer patients and survivors have received a third dose already to strengthen their immune system response. It is estimated that more than a million Americans have received an extra vaccine, a third dose, and they have compromised immune systems with the goal to strengthen their immune systems response against COVID -19.
The reason for the booster dose is that protection from the virus may have reduced and worn off over time. The current recommendation for when to receive your booster shot is 8 months after the last dose. The COVID-19 vaccination booster is being offered after 8 months of completion of the first two vaccination shots. It will be available for free and like the initial vaccination, it is believed to be highly effective, safe, and it works.
The decision to get or not get a COVID vaccination is one that has been talked about with much passion. For people diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma, talk to your medical team. Listen to the experts and protect yourself and your loved ones!
