(KRON) — The Centers for Disease Control has released new data showing COVID-19 boosters provide significant protection against hospitalization and death, especially compared to those who are unvaccinated.
“I think the case to get boosted particularly if you haven’t had a booster in more than four or five months, I think is ironclad. I just don’t see any reasonable evidence-based argument against it,” said Dr. Bob Wachter, Chair UCSF Department of Medicine.
However, the more boosters that come, the fewer Americans get them. So far only 4.4 million Americans, which amounts to less than 2% of those eligible, have received that updated BA.5 specific booster.
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“It doesn’t surprise me because we’ve seen lower uptake of every booster. Each one has seen a little bit drop off with each new booster,” added Dr. Wachter.
According to Dr. Wachter, those waiting to get the booster should not wait too long.
“Clearly if you’ve had COVID or gotten your last booster in the last three months, I think it’s perfectly fine for you to wait. If you’ve gotten COVID or you had your last booster more than six months ago, particularly if you’re at higher risk. I don’t think you should wait,” said Wachter.
Wachter said the risk of long COVID is reason enough to avoid getting COVID-19, but so is the fact that getting COVID increases your risk for a variety of other illnesses.
“A new study just came out looking at the risk of clot a year from now higher, heart attack, stroke, diabetes, and cognitive decline all higher. To me, it’s a pretty powerful argument to try to avoid getting COVID if you can,” said Wachter.
Wachter said there’s nothing wrong with enjoying the lull we are having now but do not expect it to last indefinitely. In fact, the United Kingdom was enjoying a similar lull and yet in the last week hospitalizations there have jumped 17 percent.
“If everybody is quote ‘over it,’ lets their guard down to spending more time inside. I think it is likely that we’ll see an uptick in cases. Whether we see a major surge in hospitalizations, a lot of that is unpredictable. Some of it depends on whether people get boosted and I think with that we are gonna have to see,” said Wachter.