Covid booster after positive status

[Ngtinfu]

I had Covid about two months ago and have read that one should wait six months afterwards to get the latest booster. Does this apply to someone with CLL?

Thank you.

[lankisterguy Volunteer]

Hi Ngtinfu,

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I believe this posting from 13 days ago will answer your question:

healthunlocked.com/cllsuppo...

SNIP: "We have frustratingly scarce scientific guidance on timing. What we do have tells us this:

Minimum wait: 2-3 months. A Covid-19 vaccine doesn’t add much benefit within 2-3 months of infection. We don’t have to wait 2-3 months after infection—we won’t “exhaust” or “overwhelm” our immune system. But waiting will ensure we broaden B cells (our second line of defense; our antibody factory that stores some long-term-memory). With an updated vaccine formula, we want our factory updated.

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Maximum wait 8-12 months: The longer we wait, the more we get out of the vaccine. One study found that waiting 8 months increased neutralizing antibodies 11 times more than waiting 3 months after infection. Another study found a 12-month interval improved vaccine effectiveness against hospitalization.

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BUT waiting is a gamble. Even if a vaccine sooner is not as good as it could be, it’s better than waiting too long and catching Covid with limited protection, especially for high-risk people.

SO, this is what I’m suggesting to my family:

Over 65 or at risk for severe disease: Get vaccine 4 months after infection/previous vaccine. Don’t wait more than 6 months. (Go here to understand why older adults need more urgent protection.)

Under 65 and not high risk: Wait at least 6 months. Ideally, get vaccinated once a winter wave starts taking off. (Getting it by Halloween is a good bet.) This is what I will be doing with my family. But remember, we have very little/no protection against infection until we do. So, other layers of protection are especially needed."

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Len

[Ngtinfu in reply to lankisterguy]

Thanks lankisterguy -really appreciate it!

[Awksom in reply to lankisterguy]

I had a second bout of COVID this past July and was advised by my oncologist at MSKCC (I am on the BOVen trial) to get a shot 4 months post, in November.

[Ngtinfu in reply to Awksom]

Thank you Awksom!

[mdsp7]

Last year I had Covid in late September/ mid October. My oncologist said I should get the bivalent booster after a month. So I got the bivalent in early December. For what it is worth, I did catch covid again, this year, while traveling in late August. It was much milder than the previous bout. I am better now. I am wrestling with the same issue. I will let you know what my oncologist thinks when they get back to me, I wrote to them yesterday.

[Ngtinfu in reply to mdsp7]

Thanks. I, too, am waiting for my doctor to get back to me. Good luck!

[mdsp7 in reply to Ngtinfu]

I heard back this morning. They said getting the new covid booster in early-mid October makes sense. I let them know that I will be traveling again soon after. They also suggested I get a flu shot this week.

[Ngtinfu in reply to mdsp7]

Heard from my doctor, too. Looks like mid October for me.