Arizona man says getting the COVID-19 booster shot was a 'no-brainer'

Arizona man Daryl Vaughn says getting the COVID-19 booster shot was a "no-brainer" because he has battled several severe health ailments and didn't want the virus to be another one.

PHOENIX - Some of the first Arizonans are getting a COVID-19 vaccine booster shot already.

First up: people with compromised health conditions.

However, Moderna and Pfizer booster shots may soon be recommended for all Americans.

"I wouldn’t say I was terrified but I was definitely concerned," said Valley resident Daryl Vaughn who has battled blood cancer, a stem cell transplant and chemotherapy.

He's not hoping to add COVID-19 to the list, so he got his booster shot.

"In addition to everything I had to do for my Myeloma, I also knew that I needed to take all the precautions that I needed in order to be well and other areas of my health," he said.

The stronger delta variant prompted the booster recommendation for the nearly three million immunocompromised Americans, like transplant recipients and cancer patients.

"As well as HIV … and some other chronic medical conditions actually do not mount the immune response and would definitely benefit from a third shot," explained Dr. Priya Radhakrishnan.

Early studies show the vaccine's effectiveness starts to slip at around six to eight months. At that point, all Americans could soon be advised to roll up their sleeves a third time.

"In order of importance. It’s the folks who are unvaccinated who should get vaccines first but mainly because the spread cannot be contained unless the majority of us get vaccinated," Radhakrishnan said.

Vaughn did it to protect himself, friends, family and the community. For him, a third shot in the arm was a no-brainer.

He says, "A shot became available, I didn’t hesitate to get it and I got my first dose, got my second dose and then the third one came available and I said, ‘Hey, it’s a no-brainer.’"

Countries like the UK, Israel and Germany are already giving a third booster shot.

Doctors say until America hits herd immunity, 70% to 80% of the population being vaccinated, the virus will have more chances to mutate and continue to spread probably for several more years.