Local doctor says healthy people don’t need COVID vaccine booster

SHERMAN, Texas (KXII) - A local doctor believes “Healthy” people do not need to get the covid-19 booster shot.

The FDA announced today they don’t think the general population should need a booster and Dr. Minaxi Rathod, an infectious disease specialist, agrees.

People who are immunosuppressed are encouraged to get the booster shot.

Meaning people with cancer, taking steroids for a long period of time, taking chemotherapy, folks over 65 and anybody who has autoimmune disease.

The booster is just for people who got the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, they can get the booster shot 28 days after the second shot.

“Persons mounting the immunity does go higher after they’ve received one dose and when they receive the second dose their body reacts much more to a higher level of immunity and protection,” Dr. Rathod said.

Grayson County Infectious Disease Specialist, Dr. Minaxi Rathod said 92% of covid patients that are hospitalized are not vaccinated.

Grayson County is 48% fully vaccinated, a number she said is too low.

She said even people who have recovered from the virus should be vaccinated, saying re-infection is possible, but less likely if you’re vaccinated.

She believes natural antibodies do have an expiration date, but it’s different for everyone.

“Once they feel that they are getting back to their norm they can go ahead and proceed at any time,” Dr. Rathod said.

95% of Grayson County covid cases are believed to be the delta variant, but they are not testing each positive case.

She cites the U.S. rate of delta variant cases for that statistic.

“We know by this by now that yes whatever is being identified or sequenced is a delta variant so 95% of covid viruses are delta variant,” Dr. Rathod said.

Grayson County is still not testing for the delta variant, randomly selected cases are being sent to Austin.

“It’s a very sophisticated testing that has to be done, it is just done in very few places,” Dr.Rathod said.

With flu season approaching Dr. Rathod said people should still get the flu shot even if they got the covid shot.

Flu and covid are two different viruses, so the vaccinations are different.

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