COVID-19 first emerged toward the end of 2019, and ever since the government applied the mask mandate to our society our lives have  radically changed. The  COVID-19 booster shots constantly change and strengthen to meet the noncompliance of COVID-19. Humans have been making an even more effective form of protection against COVID-19 known as COVID-19 boosters. Many people have taken the boosters, as they have been shown to be effective against COVID-19. According to a freshman Dhruv Rajawat , “COVID-19 boosters should be optional for people. It depe nds on the person. If they are in a frail state, they should ensure protection against COVID-19.” T he boosters are available, but it is up to you to take them. Not everyone needs or wants to take it depending on their immune system and health. For example, one might have a religion that will stymie the individual from the use of boosters. The boosters might be more for those who are in danger of COVID-19 to prevent organ damage.

According to   “The most commonly reported side effects within seven days of receiving the shot were: pain, fatigue, headache, muscle pain, chills, fever.”  There are a few downsides to taking the booster, but these symptoms are only temporary and do not last for a prolonged period. They say taking the boosters is worth it, as it will ensure protection against the ever-emerging COVID-19 variants . It is worth mentioning the drastic changes that COVID-19 infection can bring to someone. COVID-19 brings many reclusive complications such as distancing yourself from others which may hurt your social health.

It has been more than 2 years since COVID-19 started. According to NBC News,  “At least 4.4 million people have received an updated Covid booster since the start of September.” A whopping 612 million doses of COVID-19. Relative to the number of people who took the COVID-19 vaccine only a scarce amount of people chose to take the boosters. According to HopkinsMedicine,  “More than 612 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been given in the United States from December 14, 2020, through September 14, 2022.” According to   612 million vaccines have been given to the US and 212 million people of the U.S.  have been vaccinated. That is about 68.3% of the U.S. population  vaccinated. Worldwide, 12.7 billion doses have been given and 4.9 billion people have been vaccinated. That is about 63.4% of the world fully vaccinated.

If you are worried about the age regulations of the boosters, you should note that there are strict restrictions on their age requirement. According to NPR,  “The CDC now recommends these boosters for people 12 years and up.” To ensure the safety of the individuals, those who do not meet the eligibility will  not be given boosters. Should we be worried about elders taking vaccines? According to senior Dey Shriyan, “I think all elders should take it.”  All elders should safely take COVID-19 boosters because most booster shots are highly monitored, and they are regulated to be suitable for any age. It is safe to take boosters as they are strictly age-regulated, which dispels any doubt of severe side effects. To avoid repercussions, take the boosters according to your age and your suitable needs.

Another question arises when taking the boosters, what if you have already had COVID? According to NPR,  “It’s pretty certain you’ve been infected with BA.4 or BA.5… Generally, about three months after an infection is when you should think about getting the new booster.” This is because our antibody response will protect us against COVID-19 for a few months. Therefore,  getting a booster might be ineffective and pretty much the antibodies in your body will mitigate the boosters. Although your body does protect you with its antibodies against COVID-19, we can only be so sure that this will last for enough time. It is more prudent to take boosters and ensure that you are protected from COVID-19 for a prolonged period.

As COVID-19 progresses, it poses a threat to currently employed people. Some companies impose strict regulations on their employees. According to a sophomore Kareem Maklad, “Makes sense because they shouldn’t spread to patients. ”  A good example of this case would be Froedtert Hospital. They  assert that they will fire employees who do not receive Omicron-specific boosters. This is subjective and unfair for people who do not wish to take Covid-19 boosters. We do not know their background and their history which makes them not want to take boosters. According to junior Justin Xu,  “The company should not mandate its policy all the employees in their company.” Froedtert Hospital demands that all their employees are fully vaccinated but for some employees that might not be an option. However, they are working in a hospital environment,  which can easily be infected with COVID-19 if the employees are not vaccinated.

According to freshman Dhruv Rajawat,  “When I got my COVID-19 booster shot I felt a little pain at the injection site and that was pretty much it. It went away after a few days.”  The COVID-19 boosters may leave you with their temporary symptoms, but they typically go away after a few days. COVID-19 boosters are worth taking and you should undeniably take them if you are in danger of getting infected by COVID-19.