Getting the latest Covid vaccination

[+ Vegas_Millennial]

My doctor's office has stopped reminding/recommending caronavirus vaccinations.  It is still recommending annual flu shots for everyone and pneumonia vaccines for the elderly and immune compromised.

[samhexum]

I've had no adverse reactions from the shots, they are free, and I have never gotten Covid, though admittedly I don't spend much time in crowds, so why not keep getting them?

 

[Archangel]

Better living through pharmaceuticals. 

[+ FrankR]

On 3/5/2025 at 9:21 AM, robear said:

Agreed!  Getting my 6 month booster in 2 hours, that'll be number 9 for me.  Now we have to start thinking about a measles booster.   (Note: NOT yet recommended by anybody, but I'll be watching my state health department (not the verkakte federal) for guidance.)

 

If you frequently travel to locations with measles outbreaks, do speak to your doctor. I frequently travel to locations where this happens and got the MMR booster in 2018 because of that.

[mike carey]

1 minute ago, FrankR said:

If you frequently travel to locations with measles outbreaks, do speak to your doctor. I frequently travel to locations where this happens and got the MMR booster in 2018 because of that.

I had all three as a child, but I probably should enquire about a booster shot.

[Luv2play]

They had a program on CBC radio today and the health experts said if you had measles as a child it confers lifelong immunity. If in doubt whether you had it you can get a blood test done.

The vaccinations only came along in the 1970’s and were given to children generally (mmr) and not adults who were presumed to have had measles in childhood. 

[josh282282]

 

On 3/8/2025 at 11:22 AM, Vegas_Millennial said:

My doctor's office has stopped reminding/recommending caronavirus vaccinations.  It is still recommending annual flu shots for everyone and pneumonia vaccines for the elderly and immune compromised

 

Are you SURE you are correct on that?  The current standard of care is for seniors to get TWO shots, not one, of the current covid vaccine.  I hypothesis that you accidentally misunderstood your doctors office. I think they probably DO recommend the 2nd vaccine as I'm sure they are interested is promoting good science, right?

I recommend (primary care physician here) all seniors reading this post to get their second Covid vaccine 6 months after their first one. This is not MY opinion.  Rather,  it's the USA medical community's recommendation.  I don't get to have an opinion but must use the scientific data which the CDC uses to generate the best medical recommendations.

Don't believe me? Read on.

From the CDC's website regarding covid vaccinations:

Interim Clinical Considerations for Use of COVID-19 Vaccines in the United States:

Summary of recent changes (last updated October 31, 2024):

• People ages 65 years and older, vaccinated under the routine schedule, are recommended to receive 2 doses of any 2024–2025 COVID-19 vaccine (i.e., Moderna, Novavax, or Pfizer-BioNTech) separated by 6 months (minimum interval 2 months) regardless of vaccination history

 

Clinical Guidance for COVID-19 Vaccination | CDC

WWW.CDC.GOV

---

View FDA-approved and FDA-authorized uses of the Covid-19 vaccines in the United States.

Please pursue good health.  

Hugs, love, and great sex to all,

Josh 

[+ Vegas_Millennial]

13 hours ago, josh282282 said:

Are you SURE you are correct on that?  The current standard of care is for seniors to get TWO shots, not one, of the current covid vaccine

I am sure.  But, I am not a senior (I am a whipper-snapper Millennial).  They did make sure I've had my flu shot and pneumonia vaccine, though.

[SirBillybob]

Somewhat different in Canada, latest revision mid-Jan (see below). That said, I cannot imagine a practice in either nation suggesting zero per year as discretionary.

Edited March 16 by SirBillybob

[samhexum]

The Food and Drug Administration unveiled plans Tuesday to narrow its approval for updated coronavirus vaccines to older adults and people with at least one health condition that puts them at high risk for severe disease, marking a significant shift in the agency’s approach to green-lighting the shots.

The new guidelines indicate updated vaccines will probably be available in the fall for Americans over the age of 65, as well as those older than 6 months who have at least one condition putting them at higher risk of severe illness, as well as people with conditions such as asthma, diabetes, cancer and obesity, in addition to pregnant women. Top FDA leaders estimate over 100 million Americans would be eligible for the shots under the new framework.

[pubic_assistance]

I am in very good health and my immune system performs well enough that I have no plans to get any more Covid shots, until such time we see a virulent strain spreading. Maybe I will regret that decision, if the virulent strain gets to me first before I get the shot. But I officially dont care. I do believe in natural immunity and doing the best to keep my immune system running at full capacity. I rarely get sick and have never experienced any symptoms of Covid throughout the last 4 years. In spite of frequently being on subways, planes attending events and being around other people frequently.

If I were elderly, fat, or a smoker, I would feel differently. But I am none of those and therefore not concerned about more panic over respiratory diseases that my immune system seems perfectly capable of dealing with.

Thats just MY personal opinion, as a counter to the pontificating from the American pharmaceutical industry and their obedient minion doctors.

[+ Charlie]

On 3/8/2025 at 11:22 AM, Vegas_Millennial said:

My doctor's office has stopped reminding/recommending caronavirus vaccinations.  It is still recommending annual flu shots for everyone and pneumonia vaccines for the elderly and immune compromised.

I just got home from my annual physical, during which my doctor recommended getting the COVID shot again.

Edited May 20 by Charlie

[Rudynate]

On 5/20/2025 at 10:51 AM, pubic_assistance said:

I am in very good health and my immune system performs well enough that I have no plans to get any more Covid shots, until such time we see a virulent strain spreading. Maybe I will regret that decision, if the virulent strain gets to me first before I get the shot. But I officially dont care. I do believe in natural immunity and doing the best to keep my immune system running at full capacity. I rarely get sick and have never experienced any symptoms of Covid throughout the last 4 years. In spite of frequently being on subways, planes attending events and being around other people frequently.

If I were elderly, fat, or a smoker, I would feel differently. But I am none of those and therefore not concerned about more panic over respiratory diseases that my immune system seems perfectly capable of dealing with.

Thats just MY personal opinion, as a counter to the pontificating from the American pharmaceutical industry and their obedient minion doctors.

I'm of two minds.  I'm 73 and have a list of semi-serious health concerns.  I made it all the way through the pandemic without getting infected, but in December 2023, my husband and I came down with it at the very same time. We were both pretty ill. We were religious with covid shots and flu shots and still got sick.   So, on the one hand I'm wondering if it was all for nought, and I'm also thinking that we're both high-risk and it would be dumb to skip the covid shot.

[pubic_assistance]

16 minutes ago, Rudynate said:

So, on the one hand I'm wondering if it was all for nought, and I'm also thinking that we're both high-risk and it would be dumb to skip the covid shot.

If youre in a high risk group, you should not skip the Covid shot. Although it doesn't prevent you from catching Covid, it does accelerate the body's natural immune response. They have yet to find a human who doesn't make an immune response to Covid. Just that many people made the response too slowly and the virus replicated too quickly.

[+ sniper]

55 minutes ago, Rudynate said:

I'm of two minds.  I'm 73 and have a list of semi-serious health concerns.  I made it all the way through the pandemic without getting infected, but in December 2023, my husband and I came down with it at the very same time. We were both pretty ill. We were religious with covid shots and flu shots and still got sick.   So, on the one hand I'm wondering if it was all for nought, and I'm also thinking that we're both high-risk and it would be dumb to skip the covid shot.

Have you considered the possibility/probability that if you HADN'T been vaccinated, you'd have been killed rather than feeling sick?

[+ sync]

On 5/20/2025 at 12:45 PM, samhexum said:

The Food and Drug Administration unveiled plans Tuesday to narrow its approval for updated coronavirus vaccines to older adults and people with at least one health condition that puts them at high risk for severe disease, marking a significant shift in the agency’s approach to green-lighting the shots.

The new guidelines indicate updated vaccines will probably be available in the fall for Americans over the age of 65, as well as those older than 6 months who have at least one condition putting them at higher risk of severe illness, as well as people with conditions such as asthma, diabetes, cancer and obesity, in addition to pregnant women. Top FDA leaders estimate over 100 million Americans would be eligible for the shots under the new framework.

My PCP has told me "no more Covid shots."  I'm torn, but because he has been "right on the money" for nearly 30 years, I'm going to forgo any future Covid shots.  If my decision betrays me, and I'm able, I'll post my regret.

[+ ApexNomad]

11 minutes ago, sync said:

My PCP has told me "no more Covid shots."  I'm torn, but because he has been "right on the money" for nearly 30 years, I'm going to forgo any future Covid shots.  If my decision betrays me, and I'm able, I'll post my regret.

Should we send your PCP your condolences on your behalf, or just wait 6 to 12 months and see if we don’t get a follow-up post?

[+ sync]

56 minutes ago, ApexNomad said:

Should we send your PCP your condolences on your behalf, or just wait 6 to 12 months and see if we don’t get a follow-up post?

I will rely upon your historically unerring discretion.   🙄

[+ ApexNomad]

23 minutes ago, sync said:

I will rely upon your historically unerring discretion.   🙄

I wasn’t trying to be unerring—just trying to understand a post that read more like a vague obituary than a medical update. Thanks for the clarity… or not.

[+ sync]

2 minutes ago, ApexNomad said:

I wasn’t trying to be unerring—just trying to understand a post that read more like a vague obituary than a medical update. Thanks for the clarity… or not.

My post was intended to only acknowledge that there are more legitimate resistances to Covid shots than one might think.

 

[+ ApexNomad]

11 minutes ago, sync said:

My post was intended to only acknowledge that there are more legitimate resistances to Covid shots than one might think.

 

When you say “more legitimate resistances,” do you mean the advice of your PCP? Because that’s what your original post was about—your doctor’s directive, not a general commentary.

It actually read to me like: “My doctor told me to stop getting them, and I trust him so much I’ll risk illness or death. I hope I don’t regret it.”

(I have no idea how old you are or what, if any, underlying conditions you may have—and that’s none of my business.)

I was just trying to be a little funny, that’s all.

[+ sync]

18 minutes ago, ApexNomad said:

When you say “more legitimate resistances,” do you mean the advice of your PCP? Because that’s what your original post was about—your doctor’s directive, not a general commentary.

It actually read to me like: “My doctor told me to stop getting them, and I trust him so much I’ll risk illness or death. I hope I don’t regret it.”

(I have no idea how old you are or what, if any, underlying conditions you may have—and that’s none of my business.)

I was just trying to be a little funny, that’s all.

My post was in response to a previous post which reads in part:

"The Food and Drug Administration unveiled plans Tuesday to narrow its approval for updated coronavirus vaccines to older adults and people with at least one health condition that puts them at high risk for severe disease, marking a significant shift in the agency’s approach to green-lighting the shots."

[samhexum]

5 minutes ago, sync said:

My post was in response to a previous post which reads in part:

"The Food and Drug Administration..."

Yeah, but you didn't quote the most relevant part of my post:

[+ ApexNomad]

17 minutes ago, sync said:

My post was in response to a previous post which reads in part:

"The Food and Drug Administration unveiled plans Tuesday to narrow its approval for updated coronavirus vaccines to older adults and people with at least one health condition that puts them at high risk for severe disease, marking a significant shift in the agency’s approach to green-lighting the shots."

Quoting policy while leaving out the actual policy part—bold move.

So… yeah. That’s not exactly “no more shots.” It’s targeted. It’s nuanced. It’s not what your original post implied.

[+ sync]

1 hour ago, ApexNomad said:

Quoting policy while leaving out the actual policy part—bold move.

So… yeah. That’s not exactly “no more shots.” It’s targeted. It’s nuanced. It’s not what your original post implied.

I see your point.  I should have been more specific.  I presumed it would be understood that my decision is not for everyone.