As COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations creep up during a summer wave of heightened virus activity, updated vaccines are still likely weeks away.
Why it matters:
Americans have largely tuned out COVID, but the latest COVID uptick is a reminder that the virus continues to circulate and mutate — though the threat is far below pandemic-era levels.
Health officials face a challenge convincing a pandemic-fatigued public to get an updated COVID shot, as vaccine uptake has declined with each successive booster.
Thing is, the vaccine doesn't protect you against infecting other people. This is a known fact, and common for vaccines. That is not the point of a vaccine. A vaccine prevents YOU from being majorly infected - in the way that your body can quickly deal with the infection, because it's used to it. It doesn't magically make you immune, and not able to infect anyone.