Buffalo hunt from Dances With Wolves. Paul Goldfinger photo. 2021

From the Atlantic: Sept 16, 2021:

“Growing evidence suggests that the combination  of infection and inoculation might even be synergistically protective, out-stripping the defenses offered by either alone—something the immunologist Shane Crotty calls”hybrid immunity”

Everyday I appreciate the complexity of this topic, especially the part pertaining to immunity.  In view of the quote above, I spoke to a nurse at the Monmouth County Board of Health in Freehold.

She said that if a person becomes infected with COVID  they will have to wait 90 days to get a vaccine shot—eg a “booster.”.  Clearly that is wrong.  Both inoculation and infectiont can promote antibodies, so why not add the inoculation if someone gets an active infection.

A related issue is whether a prior COVID infection is as potent as full vaccination for protection.

For patients with active infection, there are many ideas about what can be done for treatment, and that would include a booster.

But the uncertainties are like a herd of wild buffalo, and they need to be defined, tamed, studied,  and implemented.

Paul Goldfinger MD