Some people (may) be wondering what I am referring to. I am referring to the question that many may be asking themselves rights now – do you get a second booster or a 4th vaccine shot…or not?

Why Another Booster

First, I would like to share why I chose to get a second booster when the current infection wave has subsided in the Seattle area and United States. But the reality is there will be no herd immunity in the United States.

Very simply, for the same reasons I cited in my previous booster posting. I am an international travel for business and personal and one of the last things I want to encounter is a restriction that may be imposed or required that requires a recent booster shot. I do not like being surprised, I like being prepared and proactive.

and breaking news, it is looking like cruise ships are requiring booster shots.

In addition, I do not want to risk of having a weaker immune system if and when the next variant wave occurs. They will continue for the foreseeable future and it is part of our global lives that we must accept. The studies show that the 4th shot protects against severe omicron symptoms. We are all going to get infected multiple times, the reduction of symptoms and risks wins.

4th Booster Side Effects

Now, let talk about the side effects as I know this is what most people fear and hinders them from getting the boosters. Here is what I felt after my 4th shot – they were very similar, but reduced from my second Moderna shot which I shared online.

• I only felt a slightly sore arm after about 4 hours.
• After about 8 hours, I started to feel slightly fatigued. But was also a Friday night and the end of a long work week.
• Overnight, my arm got VERY sore, and it was a little uncomfortable sleeping
• This morning, I felt slightly achy, but not bad at all.
• The arm was very tender to the touch and slightly restricted in movement. I did take two 200mg ibuprofen for the sore arm and that helped and did not have a need for anything later.
• By Sunday morning, most of the arm sensitivity and pain had disappeared. All back to normal.

Solution

Solution? I did the same thing that I did after every other shot. Take a nice and easy run and most of the achiness and soreness disappears after 4-5 miles 🙂

Literally, 24 hours later, feeling back to normal outside of a sore arm with the confidence of continued protection!

Reminder: in Washington state, check out WAVerify as it will create a QR code for your vaccination record. Explanation if you want to learn more.