What's up with boosters?

Show Me the Science

Over a million kids ages 5 to 11 have had the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, and a growing number of older people are getting booster shots. Although the official recommendation limits the booster to those over age 65, with weakened immune systems or who have jobs that put them at high risk for exposure to the novel coronavirus, that's expected to change soon. Some states and cities already have begun recommending boosters for everyone over age 18. There’s little doubt boosters are helping to protect some people, according to Rachel M. Presti, MD, PhD, an infectious diseases specialist and an associate professor of medicine at Washington University. Presti says boosters rev up antibodies and provide protection as the months pass and the pandemic lingers. The medical director of the Infectious Disease Clinical Research Unit and co-director of the Center for Vaccine Research at the university, Presti recommends that anyone eligible for a booster get one. But how much do boosters really help, especially people who have compromised immune systems? That’s a key question for Alfred Kim, MD, PhD, a rheumatologist and assistant professor of medicine who treats patients with autoimmune conditions. He has found that when those with compromised immune systems get the vaccine, their responses are only about one-third as strong as in people with stronger immune systems. Kim says it’s unclear how much extra shots will help, but he says if some patients skip immune-suppressing medications for a couple of weeks when they get a shot, it might make vaccines more effective, though further study is needed.

The podcast, “Show Me the Science,” is produced by the Office of Medical Public Affairs at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.