People who recently caught Covid can wait a few months to get a new omicron booster, White House Covid response coordinator Dr. Ashish Jha said on Tuesday. Studies have found people who caught Covid after vaccination have substantial protection against the virus, though the data is based on omicron variants that are no longer circulating in the U.S. and immunity wanes over time.
“If you’ve had a recent infection or were recently vaccinated, it’s reasonable to wait a few months,” Jha told reporters during a new conference Tuesday. Jha said everyone else age 12 or older should get a booster shot as soon as they can, particularly the elderly, people with serious medical conditions and those with weak immune systems.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last week cleared boosters that target the dominant omicron BA.5 subvariant. People ages 12 and up are eligible for the new shot at least two months after completing their primary two-dose series or their most recent booster with the old vaccines. People who are vaccinated and recently caught Covid can wait three months to get their next shot, according to guidance from the CDC. Studies have shown that waiting a few months after an infection to get boosted can result in a stronger immune response from the shot, according to the CDC.