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Ask a Teen!

Fill out the below form with any questions you may have surrounding advocacy or COVID-19 in general. We’re here to support you!

Question: I just [had] corona, should I wait 3 months to get the booster, or should I get it ASAP?

Answer: 

This is a great question; thank you for asking! We didn’t find a direct, definitive answer to this question, as it is currently a topic of medical debate, but we found some information that could help you decide:

• You can get boosted right after you recover (no more symptoms) and have finished the recommended isolation period.

• Many people (about one third!) don’t get any antibodies from COVID-19 infection.

  • Getting boosted would increase your chances of having antibodies against SARS-CoV-2, even if you didn’t get natural immunity from infection.

• For those people who do get natural immunity from infection, data is still emerging, but natural immunity appears to last at least 8 months.

• Among people who were infected with COVID-19 before receiving their first dose, people with more time between infection and first dose had more antibodies.

• Booster shots specific to the Omicron variant of COVID-19 might be ready soon (perhaps even as early as March), but there is not an exact timeline yet.

You might also consider practical concerns: getting boosted sooner might give you more peace of mind and convenience when trying to meet vaccination requirements at restaurants or other places. On the other hand, you may be comfortable waiting in order to extend the amount of time the booster protects you or to get an Omicron shot sooner.

Either way, you should eventually get boosted. Currently, in the absence of data more specific to your question, whether you get vaccinated now or wait a little is ultimately a matter of personal preference. We hope what we’re sharing is helpful to your decision making.

Register for MVA Training

Our next advocacy training conference will be on 2/19, from 11:00 am -1:00 pm EST. The entirety of the curriculum will be covered, with a break between each 45 minute segment. We hope to see you there!
 

Training for Trainers

If you have completed MVA Empathy Training and received a certificate, you are eligible to train to become a trainer! Our next Trainer Training will be held Feb 12th at 11:00am – 12:30pm EST, where we will go over training techniques and lesson plans for training. If you have any questions, email Veena at vthamil1@jhu.edu

 

In various states across the country the mask mandates are changing

• In New York, the decision to remove the mask mandate will bring a series of legal challenges to a close.
• In Connecticut, Gov. Ned Lamont suggested that they remove the mask mandate on Feb. 28th.
• The mask mandate in schools will be lifted on March 7th in New Jersey. Although the mandate is lifted, schools can require students to wear masks to control a spike in cases. Otherwise, wearing a mask is now optional in school.
• In Delaware, the universal state mask mandate expires on March 31st for all public and private K-12 schools and other child care facilities.
• Similarly, Connecticut is lifting the mask mandate for all schools and public places on March 31st.
• In California, the state is ending indoor mask requirements for those that are vaccinated, but masks are required for those who are unvaccinated. Municipalities and counties can enforce stricter rules than what the state has.
• Massachusetts is also beginning to loosen their rules on masks. People will no longer have to wear masks or provide proof of vaccination.
  
  As of right now, the nation has left it up to the states to decide what they should do about the mask mandates, and as time progresses, more states are loosening restrictions and opening up again. 

Task: How are YOU being an advocate? 

Each newsletter, we have a “Task of the Week” in order to ensure that we, as MVA, continue to make as great an impact as possible. We challenge you to accomplish a relevant advocacy task each week, and we’ll keep track of your progress!

We want to hear how you’re using your vaccine advocacy to impact your community! We challenge you to accomplish a relevant advocacy task each week, and report back with your progress.

Fill out this form, and we’ll feature you on our website: