Time for your Covid Booster?

By Lawrence Kadish, MD

New York State tracks the number of reported Covid tests taken and their results each day. This data is not precise, as we do not know why people choose to be tested, and many people do at-home tests and may or may not report test results. Nevertheless, trends can be noted. In June of 2023 positive test numbers were as low as 1 or 2%. This past week the positive test rate has climbed to 10 to 15%.

The good news is the number of deaths has not increased. What may be more concerning is that as many as 5% of Covid patients are thought to get symptoms of long Covid, which can be severe and debilitating. This group are often unvaccinated and patients may have had a very severe initial case, but long Covid is also seen in patients who have been vaccinated and experienced only mild symptoms initially.

The concern is that with the general relaxation of awareness of Covid, many of us may neglect to keep up with Covid vaccines. Now may be a good time to check with your physician or pharmacist for individual guidance, and see if it's time for you to get a booster.