Federal Health Officials: This Is Who Should Get Covid Shots & When

SAN ANGELO – While Covid-19 infections and hospitalizations are currently low and manageable in San Angelo, the Centers for Disease Control seem to be preparing for annual Covid shots in the same manner annual flu shots are administered.  

Is the Covid-19 vaccine going to become an annual shot, like the flu vaccine? Speaking Tuesday, head of the Biden administration's Covid-19 Response Team, Dr. Ashish Jha, suggested so, telling reporters that the vaccines and boosters are likely to become "a more routine part of our lives."

Below is the weekly COVID report for the city of San Angelo.

Weekly COVID-19 report: 9.3.22-9.9.22

Total cases over last seven days: 266

• Saturday: 36 cases/13 hospitalizations
• Sunday: 21 cases/9 hospitalizations
• Monday: 26 cases/13 hospitalizations
• Tuesday: 35 cases/15 hospitalizations
• Wednesday: 63 cases/15 hospitalizations
• Thursday: 46 cases/15 hospitalizations
• Friday: 15 cases/15 hospitalizations

But who should get the Covid booster shot and when?

CNN recently interviewed Dr. Leana Wen, an emergency physician and professor of health policy and management at the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health. She is also author of "Lifelines: A Doctor's Journey in the Fight for Public Health.

 "In general, I'd go back to the point of last vaccine or infection. If you have not been vaccinated in 2022 and have not had a recent infection, I'd advise that you get the booster sooner rather than later. But if you recently had a booster and/or Covid-19, you could probably wait a month or so, to try to have more effectiveness against infection going into holidays." said Wen.

"It's hard to predict the best timing the shots, though, because we don't know what will happen this fall and winter. Right now, the case count for Covid-19 is high in a lot of parts of the country. For some people, especially those who are more vulnerable to severe illness, it makes sense to get optimal protection now. But case counts could also increase later this fall, and some others may decide to wait until a few weeks before Thanksgiving to get their booster."