(WXYZ) — The top White House medical adviser Dr. Anthony Fauci continues to stress the importance of booster shots. And says holiday plans don’t need to change if you’re vaccinated.
When it comes to holiday celebrations, vaccinations are extremely important. And what Dr. Fauci was specifically talking about was family settings. Not large office gatherings or traditional New Year Eve parties. But rather families getting together in a family setting - where you know that everyone is vaccinated.
And while scientists are working to learn more about the new variant omicron, it's very important to get the booster shot. Studies have shown that peak antibodies levels are much higher after a booster than after the second dose of an mRNA vaccine, like Pfizer’s or Moderna’s.
People are wondering if they should wait on a booster, in case the vaccines need to be adjusted because of omicron.
I can understand why people would think that. But no one should wait. Our vaccines may not specifically target omicron, but scientists expect people who get booster shots will benefit from what’s called spill-over protection. That’s where levels are so high that it provides cross-protection against other variants. And if turns out that our vaccines do in fact need to be adjusted because of omicron, it’ll take about 100 days – over three months - before they’ll be ready. That's too long to wait. Not to mention, Americans right now are more at risk of getting infected with delta than they are of omicron. So please, I’ll say it once again, get fully vaccinated and then get a booster when you’re eligible.
On the next Dr. Nandi show, you'll hear compelling, real-life stories from people who found true happiness. You'll meet Valerie Sheppard who walked away from a high-powered career to find her inner joy. Plus, Psychotherapist Stacy Kaiser gives tips on maintaining positive relationships. And the bestselling author of the Blue Zones series, Dan Buettner discusses research on happiness and shares how our diet is a key factor. Tune in this Sunday, December 5th at 1 pm to watch "How to Live Happy"!
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