KPBS Midday Edition

Vaccine Boosters May Be Needed In Future But Focus Remains On Unvaccinated

By Maureen Cavanaugh / KPBS Midday Edition Co-Host, Andrew Bracken / Producer, KPBS Midday Edition

Published August 10, 2021 at 12:15 PM PDT

This story was published more than 2 years ago.

A nurse preparing the COVID-19 vaccine at San Diego State University's Viejas Arena, March 23, 2021.

Vaccine Boosters May Be Needed in Future But Focus Remains on Unvaccinated

Emphasis remains on getting the unvaccinated shots, but boosters may help the immunocompromised

With the current rise in coronavirus cases in the area due to the Delta variant, some vaccinated San Diegans are wondering if they will soon need to get vaccine boosters.

Vaccine Boosters May Be Needed In Future But Focus Remains On Unvaccinated

Infectious disease expert Dr. Shira Abeles joined KPBS Midday Edition on Tuesday to talk about what we know about the need for boosters. Abeles sees potential value in boosters for specific groups of people, such as the immunocompromised, but said that boosters are not likely to be needed by the majority of the population, at least not right away.

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"There will be a time for that, but certainly right now the priority is vaccinating the unvaccinated, because we are are seeing good protection from the vaccines, and boosting those who we know have had an incomplete response to the vaccine," she said.

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KPBS Midday Edition COVID-19

Maureen Cavanaugh

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Maureen Cavanaugh has been a familiar voice for KPBS listeners for more than 15 years, serving in a variety of capacities including announcer, host, and producer. As host of KPBS Midday Edition, Maureen has interviewed a wide range of notables, such as comedienne Sandra Bernhardt, actor John Lequizamo, author Chuck Palahniuk, composer Marvin Hamlisch, artist Robert Irwin, and designer Zandra Rhodes. But of all the interviews Maureen has conducted, her most special was with His Holiness, the Dalai Lama. Before joining KPBS in 1997, she worked as a news anchor for KSDO and KOGO News Radio in San Diego. While working for commercial radio stations in San Diego and in Salt Lake City, Utah, Maureen reported on both hard news and lifestyle features. Maureen has received three "Golden Mike" awards from the Radio and TV News Association of Southern California for economic reporting and breaking news. She has also received a "Best of Show" and “Best Radio Newscast” awards from the San Diego Press Club and the "Flo" Award from Public Radio Program Directors Association for Best Public Radio Announcer in a large market. Maureen is a native of Queens, New York, but after more than 20 years in San Diego she feels she qualifies as a real Southern Californian.

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Andrew Bracken

Andrew Bracken is a producer for KPBS Midday Edition. He is also the producer and host for the KPBS podcast series "My First Day" and "San Diego Conversations," a collaboration with KPBS and the National Conflict Resolution Center.

See stories by Andrew Bracken

What do you want to hear host Jade Hindmon talk about on Midday?