Who will be able to get the booster shot in the US?
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(CNN) -
The forecast for this winter does not seem hopeful: Covid-19 is likely not going to go away for the end of the year festivities.
In the best-case scenario, cases stabilize for the United States as a whole, increasing in about half of the states.
Deaths have increased in 17 states.
And with more people staying indoors during the winter months and less than 60% of the population fully vaccinated, this is a recipe for further spread.
It can be frustrating for people who feel like they've done all the right things by getting fully vaccinated, wearing masks, and avoiding crowds.
This should have been the holiday season to enjoy.
But the advice of the experts is quite simple.
1. Get a booster shot.
2. Wear masks.
Covid-19 cases appear to be stagnant.
That doesn't bode well for winter, experts say.
54% of Americans support vaccination mandates 0:52
"I think that's all that can be done," said Mike Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota.
"You just socialize with like-minded people, more than ever."
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It's important not to give in, Osterholm said.
"Pandemic fatigue is winning the war more than the severity of the virus itself," he said.
Epidemiologist Ali Mokdad of the University of Washington, where teams have been tracking and predicting the pandemic since the beginning, was horrified to see non-mask-wearing crowds on television at a recent Texas A&M football game.
"They all ran to the field," he said.
"No one was wearing a mask."
Even in areas with high vaccination rates, there are still enough unvaccinated people, which would cause the virus to spread.
Studies have shown that so-called natural immunity does not protect people as well as the vaccine does, so there are a large number of people who can still contract and spread the virus.
Which means that the pandemic is not over for anyone.
"Get vaccinated. Wear a mask," Mokdad advised.
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Doubts about your children's covid-19 vaccine?
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Experts advise a booster dose of the vaccine and use masks
Public health experts are almost monotonous in their advice.
"I am concerned that the US has stalled at an unacceptably high level: more than 70,000 new COVID-19 infections daily, more than 1,000 deaths daily, especially as we approach colder weather and the holidays end. They should get a [vaccine] booster, "said Dr. Leana Wen, CNN medical analyst and professor of health policy and management at George Washington University.
The FDA has already authorized boosters of the covid-19 vaccine for most adults once enough time has passed from their initial doses.
People who received the Pfizer / BioNTech or Moderna covid-19 vaccines six months or more ago can receive a booster if they are 65 years of age or older;
Those who are at risk for severe COVID-19 if they get it despite being vaccinated due to a medical condition such as diabetes, kidney disease, or pregnancy, or at risk due to living or working conditions, should also get a booster dose .
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Is a Pfizer booster appropriate after getting vaccinated with Sinovac?
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Anyone who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine two months or more ago is eligible to receive a booster dose.
The J&J vaccine is only licensed for people over 18 years of age.
Pfizer has applied for FDA clearance for boosters for all adults, and some states are already opening eligibility for boosters to people 18 years of age and older.
Dr. Jeffrey Duchin, a health officer for Seattle and King County Public Health, took to Twitter for advice.
"To minimize the risk of future overloads:
"They should vaccinate more people as soon as possible, especially young adults, children.
EVERYONE who qualifies must GET A BOOSTER DOSE now.
CoV-19 prevention precautions should be continued: wear masks indoors, ensure good ventilation / air filtration in these places, do tests and isolate if you test positive for coronavirus, "he tweeted.
"The vaccination rate in the US = 59%: it is not high enough. More travel, vacation meetings will increase transmission," he added.
booster dose covid-19 vaccine