WE ARE GETTING A LOT OF QUESTIONS FROM VIEWERS ABO COVID, THE VACCINES, THE BOOSTERS. BEN: SO, LET’S GET SOME EERXP INSIGHT, WE’RE JOINED BY DR. ROBERT DUNCAN, AN INFECTIOUS DISEASE SPECIALIST ALAT HEY HOSPITAL ANDED MICAL CENTER. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. >> THANKS FOR HAVING ME. BEN: LET’S START WITH THE BOOSTE.RS WE’RE HEARD FROM MODERNA AND PFIZER ON HOW THEY SAY THOSE ADDITIONAL SHOTS FARE AGAIT OMICRON, IN LAYMAN’S TERMS, HOW MUCH PROTECTION ARE WE TALKING ABOUT? >> IT’S HARD TO SAY BASED ON THE EARLY DATA. WE NEED TO HAVE MORE INFORMATION. A LOT OF THIS IS BASED ON LABORATORY INFORMATION AND WE NEED TO SEE HOW IT WORKS IN REALITY. THE BOTTOM LINE IS BOOSTERS HELP A LOT. WHETR THEY RESTORE THE FULL LEVEL OF PROTECONTI WE HAVE SEEN BEFORE WITH OTHER VARIANTS REMAINS TO B SEENEND A TO BE BORN OUT WITH CLINICAL DATA AS WELL AS IN THE LABORATORY. JESSICA: I WENT TOET G TO SOME OF THE VIEWER QUESTIONS — JANET WRITES, MY HUSBAND AND I, AGES 73 AND 66, RECEIVED THE J&J VACCINE IN MARCH AND THEN THE MODERNA BOOSTER IN EARLY NOVEMBER. ARE WE AS PROTECTED AS SOMNE WHO HAD A TWO DOSE VACCINE AND THEN A BOOSTER? >> FIRST OF ALL, I WOULD SAY THAT IS A GREAT STRATEGY — IT IS GREAT THEY GOT VACCINATED IN THE FIRST PLACE AND THAT THEY HAVE HAD THE BOOSTER SINCE THEN. I CAN’T REALLYOM CMENT ON INDIVIDUAL PATIENTS AND I THINK THEY REALLY OUGHT TO CHECK WITH THEIR OWN PHYSICIANS FIRST TO GET A MORE SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATION. IN GENERAL, THIS KIND OF APPROACH IS WHAT WE ARE RECOMMENDING AND IT IS THE BEST DEFENSE WE HAVE AVAILABLE AT TH PISOINT. IN ADDITION TOHE T USUAL BORING RECOMMENDATIONS THAT HAVE BECOME COMMONACPLE, WHICH ARE TO USE MASKS AND DISTANCGIN AND AVOIDING CROWDED INDOOR VEESNU AND SO ON, GOOD HAND HYGIENE AND SO ON. ADDED TO THAT NOW IS HAVING TESTING AVAILABLE BEFOREHAND. THAT ADDS AN ELEMENT OF SERICUTY. BEN: I GUESS WHAT THEY ARE TRNG TO GET AT IS THAT SOMEONE WHO GOT THE J&J VACNECI NEEDHE T THIRD SHOT? THEY HAVE ONE, THEY HAVE A SECOND — IT’S MODERNA, SO IT IS A HALF DOSE. WOULD YOU RECOMMEND A THIRD SHOT? >> I THINK THAT IS STILL TO BE RNBOE OUT. GETTING THE BOOSTER PROVIDES SIGNIFICANT BENEFITS AND WHETHER THAT IS GOING TO BE AS GOOD IN THE LONG RUN AS THE OTHER BOOSTER STRATEGIES HAVE BEEN, I THINK THAT REMAINS TO BE SEEN. JESSA:IC A LOT OF THE QUESTIONS WE’RE GETTING ARE ABOUT GATHERING FOR THE HOLIDAYS. DENISE ASKS, IF SOMEBODYAS H BO PTHFIZER SHOTS OVER 6 MONTHS AGO, GOT A BREAKTHROUGH CASE OF COVID A MONTH AGO AND HAS T GOTTEN THEIR BOOSTER SHOT YET, IS IT SAFE TO BE AROUND THEMOR F CHRISTMAS? >> AGAIN, IT’S A LITTLE HARD TO SAY WITH 100% SECURITY ON SOMEONE WHOSE CASE I DON’T KNOW. I WOULDAY S THE VACCINATION IS CERTAINLY A GREAT BENEFIT. THE RENT INFECTION PROBABLY PROVIDES SOME KIND OF NATURAL BOOSTER EFFECT TO THE VACCINATNIO. THE GENERAL FEELING IS MOST OF US RECOMMEND FOR TO SIX WEEKS AFTER A RECENT INFECTION THAT YOU GO AADHE AND GET BOOSTED BECAUSE THE BOOSTER PROVIDES BETTER PROTECTION THATHN E INFECTION DID. WHETHE THIS PATIENT IS A SAFE PERSON TO BE AROUND, I THINK A MONTH AFTER THE PREVIOU SINFECTION, IF THE PERSON IS FEELING BETTER AND DID NOTND UP IN THE ICU, I THINK IN GENERAL, MOST PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE SAFE TO BE AROUND

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Video: How much do COVID-19 boosters protect against omicron variant?

Updated: 8:20 PM EST Dec 20, 2021

A Massachusetts doctor also answers a question from viewers who mixed and matched vaccines and boosters.

BURLINGTON, Mass. —

A Massachusetts doctor also answers a question from viewers who mixed and matched vaccines and boosters.

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