Vaccinated People Who’ve Already Had COVID-19 Don’t Need to Rush a Booster Shot

If you’ve already had COVID-19 and received the vaccine, there’s no rush to get the booster shot, according to health experts.

Millions of Americans who received the Pfizer vaccine now qualify for a third dose - specifically seniors and high-risk individuals.

Several studies suggest that those who have already had COVID-19 and were fully vaccinated have strong protection, including against variants, and won’t need the boost, the Wall Street Journal reports. The research, however, is preliminary and the data is not yet complete.

The studies suggest that COVID-19 infection serves as an additional dose of the vaccine because it prompts the immune system to generate antibodies, B cells and T cells that can fight off future infection.

People who were infected and vaccinated “just won the game,” Dr. Paul Offit, a member of the FDA’s advisory panel on vaccines, said. “I wouldn’t ask them to get a booster dose. I think they just got it” by exposure.

The protection provided by infection and vaccination doesn’t mean those people may not eventually need a booster, scientists said.

Meanwhile, those with weakened immune systems or underlying medical conditions might want to get the booster shot.