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Will the booster vaccine make me test positive for COVID? When can you get vaccinated after receiving monoclonal antibodies?

Dr. Frank McGeorge answers COVID questions

Since the coronavirus pandemic began, Dr. Frank McGeorge has been keeping viewers up-to-date and informed on all fronts. He’s been answering your questions about the vaccine, the vaccination process and more.


Read: More answers to questions about coronavirus


I am mandated by my employer to get a PCR test. I also have an appointment to receive my booster dose the day before. Will this booster dose affect my PCR test at all? Should I postpone my booster for a week later?

No, the booster will not impact your PCR test -- or a rapid test. You do not need to postpone your booster.

If the new variant is not as deadly, why will hospitalizations increase?

It’s a super important distinction that you are making. Just because omicron doesn’t kill as many people that become infected, doesn’t mean that it won’t make lots of them sick enough to need hospitalization until they recover. In fact, when you look at current data that’s basically what we’re seeing. Hospitalizations are increasing with the spike in new cases, but ICU admissions, the people most likely to die, aren’t going up as quickly.

Face shields were recommended when the idea of wearing face covering first came up, but why has nothing been said since?

The recommendation behind face shields was made at a time before masks were widely available. Given the superior protection of masks, the CDC does not recommend face shields as a substitute for masks.

My 13-year-old son received his booster shot on a Saturday and then tested positive for COVID on Wednesday. Will his booster still be effective or will he need to retake his booster at a later date?

First, I just want to make sure there’s no confusion. The booster is not related to him testing positive four days later. The booster will have the same effect and it does not need to be re-taken. I would add, as a silver lining of sorts, the infection will also boost his immunity even further.

The day I was going to get my first shot for COVID, I came down with it. I got the antibodies Sotrovimab on Nov. 2. When can I get my vaccinations? We need to know so we can protect ourselves.

Because you received monoclonal antibodies, you should wait 90 days before being vaccinated. One thing that might reassure you is that you most likely have at least 90 days of protection from your infection.


Read: Complete Michigan COVID coverage


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About the Authors
Frank McGeorge, MD headshot

Dr. McGeorge can be seen on Local 4 News helping Metro Detroiters with health concerns when he isn't helping save lives in the emergency room at Henry Ford Hospital.

Kayla Clarke headshot

Kayla is a Web Producer for ClickOnDetroit. Before she joined the team in 2018 she worked at WILX in Lansing as a digital producer.

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