A review by scientific experts has revealed that Covid-19 vaccine booster shots are not currently needed for the general public.
This conclusion comes after data evidence has proven that the authorized Covid-19 vaccines in the U.S remain very effective against severe diseases and hospitalization including against the vicious, fast-spreading delta variant, according to CNBC.
The scientists have said that the vaccines’ protection against other severe diseases may persist, however, its effectiveness against the mild diseases may wane over time due to the complexity of the body’s immune system and its antibodies that protect from serious illnesses.
Following the findings, the scientists, including two senior Food and Drug Administration officials and the WHO wrote that “Current evidence does not, therefore, appear to show a need for boosting in the general population, in which efficacy against severe disease remains high,” adding that the wide distribution of boosters is “not appropriate at this stage in the pandemic.”
Furthermore, they acknowledged that booster shots may eventually be needed for the general population if vaccine-induced immunity wanes even further or a new variant emerges that can evade the protection of the shots. According to the experts, adverse reactions from boosting could trigger hesitancy towards vaccines generally.
“If unnecessary boosting causes significant adverse reactions, there could be implications for vaccine acceptance that go beyond COVID-19 vaccines,” they said.
Adding that there could be associated risks to distributing boosters too soon, they stated that there could be potential for side effects such as a rare heart inflammation condition known as myocarditis, which is more common after the second dose of mRNA vaccines.
This review comes a week before the Biden administration plans to implement offering covid vaccine booster shots to the general public for which an FDA advisory group is meeting on Friday to discuss the data to support the wide use of boosters.
According to senior health officials, the administration’s plan suggests that a third dose should be administered eight months after people get their second shot of either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines.
However, this plan has been vehemently and repeatedly criticized by scientists and other health experts who have said that the administration’s call for the administration of boosters is premature but could be appropriate for individuals with weakened immune systems who don’t produce an adequate immune response after receiving two doses of a vaccine.
Last month, federal health officials approved booster shots for such people including cancer and HIV patients or those who have had organ transplants.
