MADISON, Wis— While many seniors and those with compromised immune systems gladly rolled up their sleeves for another COVID-19 shot in the arm— some believe they don't need it, especially if they have already had the illness before.


What You Need To Know

  • Some seniors uncertain about getting COVID-19 Booster shots 

  • Plenty of vaccine available for this at risk population

  • Booster show to have only minimal side effects

  • Worry natural immunity and vaccines may not be enough as variants continues to change​

John Doll, 72, had a terrible bout with COVID-19 shortly after the pandemic began. He was put on a ventilator and almost died.

"Oh, it was tough last time, I was one of the first and I never thought I'd lived through it, but now these people got to be crazy not to get the vaccine," Doll said.  

Doll received the two part Pfizer shot after he recovered and also donated his plasma antibodies.  

"I was the second one in Dane County to give it, and I gave it 10 times," he said.

As of now, he's uncertain whether he will take the booster because he's confident in his "double protection."

UW Health COVID-19 researcher Dr. William Hartman said he thinks Doll's natural immunity could wane, and it’s not something these special populations really want to risk, even if they already had the vaccine.

"The problem is if you'd had COVID-19 earlier in the pandemic, or even six months ago, it's very different than the COVID variants that come into the system now," Hartman said. "I really want to make sure that we do everything we can to keep them healthy to keep them out of the hospital to keep them dying from COVID-19."

Hartman said there is plenty of vaccine to go around for these indivduals. So far, reports indicate the side effects are minimal with the booster.​