Staying up to date on your COVID-19 vaccinations, including getting booster doses when eligible, remains an important factor in protecting yourself against severe illness resulting from COVID-19 infection. In a recent newsletter, the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) shared COVID-19 booster guidance for those who have recently had a COVID-19 infection.
According to DOH, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend those with a recent COVID-19 infection get a booster dose as soon as they are no longer contagious. For most, this is approximately 10 days after testing positive or from the onset of symptoms. It is important to wait to get boosted until one is no longer contagious to avoid exposing others to COVID-19, not because receiving the booster earlier would be harmful or dangerous to someone with an active COVID-19 infection.
DOH shared that in some specific cases, it may be beneficial for those with a COVID-19 infection to wait 90 days or consult a physician prior to receiving a booster dose. Those with serious cases of COVID-19 with ongoing symptoms or those who developed a case of multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS) should consult a physician prior to receiving a booster dose. Likewise, due to the potential effects to the body’s immune response, people who have received monoclonal antibody treatments should wait three months after their infusion to receive a booster dose.
For more information about COVID-19 infection and subsequent booster dose guidance, DOH recommends consulting these articles: Got COVID-19? Get Boosted and How Soon Can You Get Vaccinated After Recovering From COVID-19?
Finally, if you are interested in receiving updates directly from DOH, sign up for DOH’s Vaccine Partner Newsletter. Enter your email on this page, expand “Immunization” on the next page and select “COVID-19 Vaccine Partner Newsletter” before clicking submit.