The World Health Organization (WHO) and CDC now advises that people who are immunocompromised or have an inactivated vaccine need to receive a booster dose of the COVID-19 shot. People are having second thoughts and opinions on whether or not it is effective though. 

Many states have now been having the shot available for all three vaccinations as well as colleges such as West Virginia Wesleyan College. Students were able to get the booster shot if they have been vaccinated priorly. Vaccines were also available. In Buckhannon, many other places such as Walgreens, CVS, and Community Care also have the booster available. 

Prior to the Fall semester of 2021, the college encouraged students and staff to get vaccinated. Unvaccinated students unfortunately would have had to pay a $750.00 COVID-19 fee and wear a mask at all times indoors regardless of the mask mandate.  The college later backtracked on the fee, instead conducting weekly random testing of any 10% of unvaccinated students, with those students paying $5 for every test they take.

The CDC says that a vaccine is still effective, but a booster proves the best result. With the booster now out, the CDC, Pfizer, and Moderna says that the shot protects against variants such as Omicron, which is the most recent variant. WVWC allowing students a booster shot was a great opportunity, but the effects and sickness students had gotten are turning people away. Speaking with a couple students, they gave us insight of what they felt like after the booster shot. 

All students chose to be anonymous. The first person said that after the booster, they felt the same as when they got their second dose of the Moderna vaccine. They felt sluggish and started feeling nauseous and had zero appetite. Another student said that they felt exactly the same as the day before, they had no change in behavior or wellness. We did not only talk to students that got the booster but ones that chose not to as well. One said that it was only available by the college while they were in class, and another said they did not see a reason that they needed it and that they have been fine so far. After a couple other students interviewed, it has come to conclusion that there was no relation to how they felt versus what vaccine they got, (Moderna, Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson). 

PICTURE CREDIT: People With Health Issues or Inactivated Vaccine Should Get COVID-19 Booster – WHO | World News | US News