A woman receiving her booster shot from a healthcare professional

Which COVID Booster Should I Get?

Vaccinations Calgary: Which COVID booster should I get?

As COVID-19 continues to captivate our undivided attention two years after it was made known to the world, questions regarding the vaccination and booster still swirl. It has been well established by medical professionals around the globe that receiving your COVID-19 vaccine can help protect you as well as others, and the booster is no exception in providing security. It has become paramount to protect yourself against this raging pandemic by masking when required and obtaining each dose of the vaccine, including the booster. Questions concerning the booster are still fresh, as many are unsure what type of booster they need and what ages are permitted to receive it. 

Learn more about vaccinations in Calgary, the COVID booster, what you should get, and what age groups are eligible to receive it. 

Vaccines and booster shots

A COVID-19 booster shot is necessary after someone has received each of their vaccines, as the effects of both doses of the vaccination begin to wane over time. The booster will give you half of the regular dosage you initially got to increase immune protection to combat the contagious virus. The differences between the vaccines were sufficient enough that you were supposed to receive the same dosage twice to avoid potential adverse effects. Because the booster isn’t made of the exact dosage as the first two vaccines, and since the waiting period to receive has been longer than the intervals in which people got their two vaccines, it doesn’t necessarily matter what booster shot you receive. 

Can you mix and match?

Mixing and matching your booster is not only permitted to do, but some medical professionals have exclaimed that it can potentially boost the immune system. Getting a different booster than the vaccine you received also creates more flexibility when scheduling your appointment to receive the booster shot. Advantages have been seen in those who have mixed their boosters shots as immunity can become more enhanced, particularly if you have received certain vaccinations that have less efficacy than, for example, Moderna and Pfizer. 

If you have questions about what booster will be most beneficial to your own health, you should contact your healthcare professional to navigate you in a suitable direction. 

A man receiving his COVID-19 booster vaccination from a healthcare professional
Is it permissible to mix and match the first two shots?

While mixing and matching the booster will do no harm and can be incredibly effective for the immune system, the same cannot be said for mixing and matching your first two COVID vaccine doses. Global health officials recommend that you receive two of the same vaccine dosage, whether that be Johnson & Johnson, Moderna, or Pfitzer until directed otherwise. 

Who is eligible to receive the third and fourth dose?

According to the government of Alberta, anyone over 12 can receive a booster vaccination if the proper amount of time has elapsed since a second dose–which is a minimum of five months. Immunocompromised children who are between the ages of 5-11 can also receive the booster shot a minimum of eight weeks after their second vaccination dose. As for the newly established fourth dose, all Albertans over 70 can receive their vaccinations in Calgary and immunocompromised people over 12 and Indigenous, Metis, and Inuit peoples over the age of 65 can also schedule an appointment to receive their fourth shot. 

Springborough Pharmasave is your health professionals committed to serving the Springborough community. Our pharmacy in SW Calgary will provide you with all the important services you need for your health, including healthcare advice and medical products. All our programs and services will be tailored to the needs of our consumers. We offer vaccinations, flu shots, breast pump rentals, and can act as your travel clinic in Calgary. Giving back to the community is a core value at Pharmasave, and we are proud of our work to help the Springborough community. Visit us at 104-30 Springborough Blvd, Southwest Calgary or call us on (403) 453-6113.

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