The 'theoretical' downside of COVID boosters


The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday night authorized the use of COVID-19 booster shots for seniors, at-risk adults, nursing home residents, and — in a decision breaking with its own advisery panel — frontline workers over the age of 18.
However, with much of the world, as well as a percentage of the U.S., still unvaccinated, the booster conversation has left some asking — what are the implications of receiving another dose if you're not in an at-risk population? Are there any?
Any downside is "probably more theoretical," epidemiologist Céline Gounder told The New Yorker. There have been cases of myocarditis, or heart inflammation, in younger men following jabs of the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines; however, it is unclear whether there would be increased risk with a third dose — "it is very rare, so it would take a while to pick up on," said Gounder. She noted that instances of myocarditis have not led to permanent complications.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The other pitfall, according to Gounder, would be cost — "both in terms of the vaccine itself, and also in terms of all of the facility and manpower costs of getting people their booster dose."
In terms of beating COVID, however, the epidemiologist added that if we want to get to "the other side of this, you have to start paying attention to people who are not vaccinated — not just here but in the rest of the world." Read more at The New Yorker.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brigid Kennedy worked at The Week from 2021 to 2023 as a staff writer, junior editor and then story editor, with an interest in U.S. politics, the economy and the music industry.
-
Kim Ju Ae: North Korea’s next leader?
The Explainer Kim Jong Un’s young daughter is being seen as his ‘recognised heir’ following a high-profile public appearance at China summit
-
Is the UK government getting too close to Big Tech?
Today’s Big Question US-UK tech pact, supported by Nvidia and OpenAI, is part of Silicon Valley drive to ‘lock in’ American AI with US allies
-
Russia’s war games and the threat to Nato
In depth Incursion into Poland and Zapad 2025 exercises seen as a test for Europe
-
SpaceX breaks Starship losing streak in 10th test
speed read The Starship rocket's test flight was largely successful, deploying eight dummy satellites during its hour in space
-
Rabbits with 'horns' sighted across Colorado
speed read These creatures are infected with the 'mostly harmless' Shope papilloma virus
-
Lithium shows promise in Alzheimer's study
Speed Read Potential new treatments could use small amounts of the common metal
-
Scientists discover cause of massive sea star die-off
Speed Read A bacteria related to cholera has been found responsible for the deaths of more than 5 billion sea stars
-
'Thriving' ecosystem found 30,000 feet undersea
Speed Read Researchers discovered communities of creatures living in frigid, pitch-black waters under high pressure
-
New York plans first nuclear plant in 36 years
Speed Read The plant, to be constructed somewhere in upstate New York, will produce enough energy to power a million homes
-
Dehorning rhinos sharply cuts poaching, study finds
Speed Read The painless procedure may be an effective way to reduce the widespread poaching of rhinoceroses
-
Breakthrough gene-editing treatment saves baby
speed read KJ Muldoon was healed from a rare genetic condition