COVID-19 Vaccine Update #5: Omicron BA.2 and the Second Booster

by | Apr 7, 2022 | Blog, Health & Wellness

COVID-19 Omicron BA.2 and the second booster

Today I am sharing some pertinent information instead of utilizing the Q&A format from previous COVID-19 Vaccine Updates.

We are in what feels like a welcome “pause” in the pandemic, but definitely not finished yet. Omicron BA.2 is the predominant variant in the US, and we are seeing an uptick in COVID-19 cases (especially with the mask mandates dropped nationally). We have learned that COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective, but their effectiveness begins to wane after about 4 months.

Accordingly, on March 29, 2022, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) updated its guidance by recommending a second COVID-19 booster shot for people over age 50 if at least 4 months have passed since their first booster. For most people, this will mean a 4th shot of the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine.

It is possible that an Omicron-specific booster will be available this fall, but the current vaccines still provide a lot of protection against Omicron subvariants. During the recent Omicron surge, people who were boosted were 21 times less likely to die from COVID-19 than people who were unvaccinated, and they were 7 times less likely to be hospitalized. For these reasons, I recommend boosters for all eligible residents now.

For more information, please see the CDC’s news release.

Anthony J. Caprio, MD, is medical director at The Sharon at SouthPark and geriatrician at Atrium Health. The opinions expressed by Dr. Caprio in this article are his own and not necessarily those of Atrium Health.

Recent Blog Posts

Sharon Towers Is Now The Sharon at SouthPark

Sharon Towers Is Now The Sharon at SouthPark

A process that began in 2017 with a long-term development plan for its 28-acre campus culminated in the announcement on October 2, 2023, that Sharon Towers has rebranded as The Sharon at SouthPark. History Informs Our Future Founded in 1969 as The Presbyterian Home at...

read more
Anne O. Moffat Park Officially Opens to Connect Community

Anne O. Moffat Park Officially Opens to Connect Community

On September 23, at the corner of Sharon Road and Hazelton Drive, Anne O. Moffat Park officially opened. The park’s namesake Anne O. Moffat came to Charlotte the following week (due to travel issues due to Tropical Storm Ophelia), honored to cut the ribbon from the...

read more

Blog & News

Major News And Announcements

Major News And Announcements

Blog

Blog

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nulla ultricies vehicula.

Connection Newsletter

Connection Newsletter