South Florida Sun-Sentinel Palm Beach (Sunday)
I got a booster then tested positive for COVID. Was it a waste?
We are answering your questions about the coronavirus vaccines and what we need to do next. Submit your question using this form or email Lois Solomon at AskLois@ sunsentinel.com.
Q. “I got my booster and tested positive the next day for COVID. Was it a waste to get the booster? Is it still protecting me from the worst symptoms? Should I re-boost?” — Eric, Cooper City
No need to beat yourself up on this one. You did the right thing, said Dr. Andrea Klemes, chief medical officer at MDVIP, a national physicians’ network with headquarters in Boca Raton.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends people with COVID wait until their symptoms have resolved before getting a booster. But even if you didn’t know you had the virus when you got vaccinated, you’ll still be fine, she said.
“It was not a waste,” Klemes said. “The CDC is recommending boosters for all adults. There is no reason to re-boost at this point. The COVID you have now is giving you natural immunity on top of your booster. Research has shown that being vaccinated does help minimize the severity of your disease.”
Dr. Hila Beckerman, a Delray Beach pediatrician with extensive vaccine experience, agreed.
“Now you have very strong immunity,” she said. “If you knew you had COVID, you could have canceled the booster and postponed it for a month later. But since you didn’t know that you were already infected (which happens to many people), there is no harm in receiving the booster.”
Q. “I am in my 80s and had my booster shot in August. My plan in February is to fly and visit my family in another state. As six months will have elapsed since my booster shot, should I get another booster before I travel?” — Ruth, Boca Raton
It depends whether you fall in the “immunocompromised” category. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has approved a fourth dose beginning in February for people with weakened immune systems, which includes cancer and HIV patients, and organ transplant recipients. Age is not an included category at the moment.
A fourth shot could become standard for almost all Americans in the coming year. Israel is already offering them to people age 60 and older and medical workers. Needless to say, Americans who are concerned about the omicron variant have started getting fourth shots anyway, whether they are compromised or not, and there are few safeguards in place to prevent this.
Q. “I tried to make an appointment for the antibody treatment and there are hardly any locations where they are available. Any ideas or recommendations if this is going to change anytime soon? Getting the treatment early is of critical importance for those who are at risk. I’m sure you already know that!” — P.L.
A. Treatment availability did slow down last month because federal officials said monoclonal antibodies are not effective against COVID’s omicron variant. However, the federal government has agreed to start shipping them out again. Gov. Ron DeSantis said on Monday U.S. health officials will send at least 30,000 monoclonal antibody treatments to Florida, with new public treatment sites to open as soon as the doses arrive.
The infusions prevent COVID from becoming severe, although they appear to be more successful against the delta variant.
When the doses arrive, you won’t need a doctor’s prescription. DeSantis said the state’s surgeon general is going to offer guidance on how to “explicitly target” the treatment to the elderly population and people with risk factors.
Q. “A few months ago President Biden stated that rapid testing kits would be sold to the American people for $14. However, Walmart is the only store that I know that lowered the price to $14. Walgreens and CVS are still selling these tests for $23.99. The poor cannot afford to buy these tests. If they are lucky they can find them at Walmart but that is becoming difficult because of the mass buying of these tests.” — Sean Cononie, Cosac Foundation for the homeless, Davie
President Joe Biden has announced a plan to distribute 500 million free at-home rapid tests to Americans beginning next month. Anyone who wants a test would have to request it through a website that will launch in January. Details are still to come.
Biden had announced earlier this month he wanted home tests to become free and widely available. I couldn’t find any reference he made to the $14 price you mentioned.
The president is making this announcement as the omicron variant of COVID19 is spreading quickly. At-home tests are in high demand now and hard to find, although pharmacies say they are regularly restocking. Prices start at about $7 per test (or $14 for two, maybe that’s where you heard the $14 number) and go as high as $38.99. These costs could become prohibitive for a family that’s testing regularly, so hopefully the president’s plan will come to fruition.
Q. “My wife and I are fully vaccinated and received our booster shots in late September. If everything stays OK, we would like to visit New York City in May for a week. Would proof of our vaccination (and not a negative COVID test) be sufficient for our trip? And if we travel to Montreal and then on to Toronto from New York, would our full vaccination status still be sufficient? Would our full vaccination status be all that’s needed to return to Florida?” — David, Aventura
A. You don’t need a negative COVID test or proof of vaccination to travel in the United States, although there could be some venues, such as restaurants or museums or theaters you visit in New York, that will want to see your vaccination cards.
Canada is a different story; you will have to upload your vaccine info and COVID test results to an app called ArriveCAN. You may even have to undergo another test upon arrival: “The Government of Canada is increasing the number of fully vaccinated travelers being selected for testing to reach 100% of vaccinated travelers in the coming weeks,” according to a government website.
As for returning to Florida, you will not need to show any vaccine or testing documents to anyone. But you can feel good knowing you are fully vaccinated and boosted and unlikely to be spreading COVID or its variants.
Q. “I got my second Pfizer shot at the end of February 2021. Every month since then I have suffered facial swelling and vision problems. I am afraid of the booster. What should I do?” — Judith
A. This is one for your doctor. These symptoms may or may not be a reaction to your Pfizer shots, said Dr. Andrea Klemes, chief medical officer at MDVIP, a national physicians’ network with headquarters in Boca Raton.
“I would suggest she talk to her doctor,” Klemes said. “She may have medical conditions causing these symptoms or something new going on. She needs to be evaluated and not assume it is from the vaccine.”
Q. “I need a COVID test to get on an international flight but every place I look into wants to charge more than $100. Is there anywhere that is low-cost or no-cost?” — Jill, Coral Springs
A. There are many testing sites in South Florida that won’t charge you; the problem is they may not get your results back in time. There are 11 free sites run by the Florida Department of Health in Broward County. They don’t require an appointment, will take any age and will take you whether you are vaccinated or not. Results typically come back within two days, spokeswoman Nina Levine said.
Palm Beach County has a similar number of sites with similar rules. Then there are the commercial sites that will either bill your insurance or require you to pay out-of-pocket. They can cost as much as $350, but promise to get you results quickly, sometimes within a few hours. So you have to weigh how fast you need the results with whether and how much you’re willing to pay.
Got a question? Email Sun Sentinel staff writer Lois K. Solomon at AskLois@ sunsentinel.com