Which Bivalent Booster is Better?

Even during the delta surge, the first COVID-19 boosters did an excellent job averting serious illness and hospitalization. Then omicron and its sub-variants appeared, which were more contagious than earlier versions and managed to elude both infection- and vaccine-provoked immunity. Updating the boosters was necessary. It is essential to consult with your healthcare provider to determine why & when to take bivalent boosters based on your individual health needs and medical history. Read this article to find out what is different about the bivalent booster and which bivalent booster is better.

What is a bivalent booster?

The most recent COVID-19 vaccination is the bivalent booster. So that we can optimize protection against severe illness and possibly against infection, it comprises both the original vaccination strain of the virus and a strain generated from the BA.5 omicron variation, which is presently dominant.

Which bivalent booster is better?

So if you are concerned about "which bivalent booster should I get?" The best booster for you is the one that is the most readily available to you. Using mRNA technology, Pfizer and Moderna's bivalent boosters combine the original COVID-19 vaccination with a reformulation targeting the BA.4 and BA.5 variants of the omicron variant.

• Pfizer-BioNTech - The Food and Drug Administration has approved the firms' bivalent booster at 30 micrograms to anyone 12 years of age and older at least two months after any prior treatment. COVID-19 pictures.
• Moderna - For people 18 years of age and older, the FDA has approved the bivalent booster at a dose of 50 micrograms.

According to Pfizer and its collaborator BioNTech, the new booster has 15 micrograms of each spike protein for the original COVID variation and the BA.4/BA.5 subvariants of omicron. 25 micrograms of each type make up more in Moderna's formulation. Moderna's booster has a single dose of 0.5 milliliters, while Pfizer's booster has a single dose of 0.3 milliliters.

After a primary series has been finished, FDA-approved boosters can be mixed and combined. The bivalent booster from Moderna can be used by people who have previously taken boosters from Pfizer and vice versa.

Also, Read Is There Another Virus Going Around Besides Covid?

Possible Side Effects of Pfizer and Moderna

Strong investigations on whether these two booster injection brands have unique side effects from one another have yet to be made available. However, data from both clinical studies indicates that the side effects of the bivalent vaccine are comparable to those of the previous booster dose and the original vaccine.

Andrew Pekosz, a virologist from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, recently held a media briefing and stated that the common side effects of the bivalent booster include redness at the injection site, soreness, and feeling tired for a day or two.

Safety Measures for the Bivalent Booster

Although human clinical trials have not yet been completed, medical professionals claim that the bivalent booster has no safety risks. According to the FDA, trial subjects who got the bivalent vaccine experienced some side effects, including soreness, redness, swelling at the injection site, weariness, headaches, and aches in their muscles and joints.

Health professionals concur that the new boosters are safe and will offer broader protection against omicron variations despite the lack of available data. Dr. Robert Califf, the commissioner of the FDA, stated that if the organization waited until investigations were finished in another month or two, "By the time the (COVID) wave passes us by, the harm has already been done. At the very least, we must attempt to always be one step ahead."

Should you get the bivalent booster?

Pfizer and Moderna have approved the booster for people beyond 12; for some age groups, Pfizer has been approved, whereas, for other age groups, Moderna has. The advice on when to purchase the booster is currently less certain. The CDC has outlined their general strategy for how people who have not had vaccinations should proceed with their vaccination schedule: two doses of the original mRNA vaccine, spaced three to four weeks apart, and then a dose of this bivalent booster two to three months later. But most of us have long since moved past that; some have also experienced infections that bolstered our immune systems. The CDC website does not yet provide any guidance for those circumstances.

What will the bivalent booster do?

The bivalent booster will improve how you react to the circulating variations. And, if you received the original immunization and booster shots, you can wait between four and six months before receiving the bivalent booster. Again, this is because we are currently switching from the pandemic strategy of getting immunity to as many people as possible as quickly as possible to get people long-term immunity. Hopefully, we won't need booster shots every few months to keep the population's immunity high.

Should kids and teens get the bivalent booster?

Yes. Once more, getting the bivalent booster is a good idea four to six months after the previous booster. This will improve your immune system's long-term memory and your defenses against viruses in circulation. It was really simple at the beginning of the pandemic: either you were infected or not. After that, we received the shot. Infection and vaccine combinations are now available. Some individuals may have contracted the disease before receiving the vaccination, while others may have contracted it before receiving the booster shot. Each of these various mixtures will result in a marginally different immunological response.

Is it safe to get the bivalent booster after getting the flu shot?

Absolutely. According to experts, receiving both at the same time is not harmful. This is one of those instances where getting one is probably better than getting the other. We know from prior experience that many people who come in for one vaccination and leave saying, "Well, I'll get the next one in a week or two," never return. If you can purchase both, we advise doing so simultaneously. Both programs will have the same goal: to guard against serious illness. A large portion of the population is susceptible to severe new COVID and is also susceptible to severe influenza.

Also, Read Understanding the New Covid-19 Variant, Omicron BF.7, and What India Should Do To Prepare?

Final Takeaway

To sum it up, which bivalent booster is better? It's difficult to say which bivalent booster is "better" as different vaccines may have different advantages and disadvantages depending on the individual. Some may be more effective at preventing severe illness or death, while others may have a higher rate of side effects. The bivalent booster shots are effective and have side effects similar to the original vaccine, like fever and aches. Getting the booster shot as soon as it is medically safe is advised. It is safe to get a different bivalent booster with a different vaccine shot. The option should depend on which booster shot is available at your nearest medical facility.