tl;dr version - strongly consider getting the annual vaccinations/boosters
I didn't get the new Covid vaccine this year, but did get the flu shot in October. Over the years, I was initially vaccinated and did get 2 boosters though. I guess I figured, what's the point of getting the new Covid vaccine? Well, I found out what the point is, in a scary way this week.
Both me and my wife have Covid. For me it started last Saturday/Sunday. For her, it was Tuesday. In my case, this virus has set up camp in my throat. The pain has been so severe it feels like a bad case of strep. On Tuesday, the at-home test showed I was positive, but yesterday I went to a nearby Urgent Care place to get some pain relief for my throat. I tested positive there and was given Paxlovid and a cough medicine. Let me get to the "what's the point".
Twice this week I woke in the middle of the night struggling to breathe. It happened again last night at 3am. My throat felt so tight and narrowed, that with the mucus lining it, air couldn't easily pass through. I seriously considered calling 911 and going wake my wife. I slept in the living room while she was in our bedroom. Eventually normal breathing returned, but it took me a while to settle down from it. I took some ibuprofen to reduce the swelling and fell asleep with no further issues but I kept my head more elevated in the recliner. Last night was the 1st course of Paxlovid and I feel its effects already.
While I was awake trying to normalize my breathing, I couldn't help but think how lucky I was to have had prior vaccinations, boosters and a therapeutic. Without those, I strongly believe I would've been in the hospital. I guess I'm more at-risk because I'm 52 and take blood pressure medication. Speaking of blood pressure, even with taking the medication, my blood pressure registered 144/94 at the place yesterday. I told the woman I didn't understand why it was that high because I'm taking my meds. She said, Covid does this. Over 52 years I have had colds, flu, sinusitis and strep multiple times. Covid has been nothing like them. It's nasty.
After this experience, I will be getting the new boosters and vaccinations when they're available. It was easy to see how having this could put people in the hospital due to breathing issues. I don't want to be one of those people. It was scary.