Why do we need boosters for the COVID-19 vaccine? Rhea Boyd, MD, MPH

Rhea Boyd, MD, MPH explains how boosters help to keep protection levels up in your immune system.

Doctors, nurses and researchers dispel misinformation and provide accessible facts about the #COVID #vaccines in this FAQ video series.

THE CONVERSATION: #BetweenUsAboutUs is produced by KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation), a nonprofit organization focusing on national health issues (no affiliation with Kaiser Permanente), and presented by KFF’s Greater Than COVID public information initiative in partnership with the Black Coalition Against COVID (BCAC) and UnidosUS.

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This information is shared for educational purposes only and should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice. The views expressed are those of the featured medical professional and reflect information available to that professional at time of filming (November 5, 2021). Always consult a health care provider for any personal health decisions.

TRANSCRIPT:

Boosters are way that you remind your immune system to keep its protection levels up. Because over time, our immune systems slowly decrease their defenses. And, so, we sometimes for certain vaccines have to boost them or give them a second or third or for some vaccines, even a fourth dose to make sure our immune systems remember to have that maximum protection always at the ready, so if you're ever exposed to that infection, you can fight it immediately.