COVID-19 vaccine rollouts have been a big help in getting back to “normal” life. Before vaccines were available, there was no real way to strengthen your immune system against COVID-19. Now, your body can learn how to fight off the virus through vaccines. If you do get the virus after getting vaccinated, you’re less likely to experience severe symptoms or require hospitalization. Thanksgiving gatherings provide the perfect environment for COVID-19 to spread. Vaccine booster shots are a helpful tool that deserve a spot on your holiday preparation checklist! 

When are you Eligible for a Booster Shot? 

Most people are aware that booster shots are available, but when are you actually supposed to get one? The answer depends on which type of vaccine you got originally. People who received the 2-shot vaccine from either Pfizer or Moderna are eligible for a vaccine booster shot 6 months after the date of their second shot. Anyone who received the Johnson and Johnson vaccine, which only requires 1 shot, can receive a booster shot after 2 months. Check your vaccination card to find out what date you were vaccinated and calculate when you’ll be eligible for a booster shot. 

What Does a Booster Shot Do? 

A booster shot helps increase the antibodies in your immune system that protect against COVID-19. As more time passes from your initial vaccination date, the antibodies in your immune system decrease. That leaves you vulnerable not just to contracting COVID-19, but experiencing potentially serious side effects. Increasing the antibodies in your system decreases the risk of contracting the virus and increases the likelihood of only minor symptoms if you do catch the virus. 

Thanksgiving Gatherings and COVID-19

Thanksgiving gatherings go against pretty much every COVID-19 recommendation. Large groups of people, indoors, close to one another, likely not wearing a mask. It’s all a recipe for a COVID-19 outbreak. Getting a booster shot before your Thanksgiving celebration is the best thing you can do to keep yourself protected. Getting your booster shot also reduces the risk that you’ll contract the virus and bring it back home with you, potentially exposing other people. 

If you’re eligible for your COVID-19 vaccine booster shot, schedule yours today! Visit a local urgent care center for rapid COVID-19 testing that offers same-day results for an even safer Thanksgiving celebration. Ask any of your unvaccinated guests to do the same and enjoy a COVID-19 free day! An urgent care center can also provide you with a COVID-19 vaccine for the first time if you haven’t gotten vaccinated yet. 

If you begin to experience COVID-19 symptoms after a Thanksgiving celebration, get tested right away! A positive test result ensures you know how to properly self-isolate so others aren’t exposed and allows medical staff to help make your symptoms more manageable.