Booster Shots Gets Science Closer To The End Of The Pandemic
The global COVID-19 pandemic has affected nearly every aspect of everyday life for over a year and a half now. But there is now a light at the end of the tunnel, as scientists and experts believe booster shots or reinfection vaccinations may get us closer to the end of this pandemic. In this article, we’ll be discussing the science behind booster shots, their potential to help us reach the end of this pandemic, as well as addressing any safety concerns.
What Are Booster Shots?
A booster shot, or more formally known as a booster dose, is a second dose of a vaccine that is typically given after the final dose of the primary vaccination. Booster shots are designed to increase immunity to a certain virus or bacteria and are usually given months or years after the primary vaccination series. Booster shots are often recommended for those who may have decreased immunity due to age or disease, as well as for people who have had an exposure to the virus or bacteria in question.
Why Are Booster Shots Used For COVID-19?
Booster shots are particularly important when it comes to the coronavirus as it’s a novel virus and the global population is largely unexposed to it. As such, researchers are still learning about the virus’ overall immunity or how long immunity lasts. Due to this, it is possible that people may become reinfected or the virus may evolve beyond a current vaccine’s effectiveness. That’s why booster shots are needed to further increase immunity and help us reach the end of this pandemic.
What Benefits Do Booster Shots Offer for COVID-19?
There are a number of key benefits that booster shots offer for treating and containing the COVID-19 virus:
• Increased Immunity: Booster shots offer an additional form of immunity, by providing a second dose of the vaccine to those that have been previously vaccinated. This in turn can lead to better containment of the virus and more effective treatments.
• Adaptable Treatments: Booster shots can also be used to create tailored treatments for the virus, depending on how long a person’s immunity lasts, how the virus mutates, and a person’s age or pre-existing health conditions.
• Prevent Erosion of Vaccine Effectiveness: Booster shots keep the virus from becoming resistant to existing vaccines and slow or reverse the erosion of vaccine effectiveness.
• Widespread Accessibility and Distribution: Booster shots can help further reduce the number of people that are exposed to and infected with the virus, as well as more evenly distribute the vaccine throughout the population.
Are Booster Shots Safe?
When it comes to medical treatments and procedures, safety is always a top concern. While some have expressed reservations about booster shots and the virus, the medical community deems booster shots both safe and necessary. Research has found that booster shots are generally safe and don’t carry the same amount of risks as the primary vaccination. This is due in part to the fact that booster shots are much smaller doses and are administered further apart from each other. Booster shots effectiveness and safety is further ensured by rigorous testing done prior to the injections being made available.
What Are Some Booster Shots Being Developed For COVID-19?
There are a number of booster shots for COVID-19 being developed by the medical community and a few have already received approval from various regulatory agencies:
• Moderna’s mRNA-1273 booster: This booster combines Moderna’s existing mRNA-1273 vaccine with another shot called “adjuvanted” that has been approved in some European countries. This booster has been shown to provide more than five-fold greater protection against the virus than the prior injection alone.
• Pfizer-BioNTech’s BNT162b2 booster: This booster is a modified version of the companies’ original BNT162b2 vaccine and is designed to increase the effectiveness of the original vaccine. The dose is composed of 30 mcg of nucleoside-modified mRNA, which is a more concentrated vaccine than the original mRNA-1273.
• Johnson & Johnson’s Ad26.COV2.S booster: This booster is tailored for adults that have already received a single-dose injection of J&J’s Ad26.COV2.S vaccine. It uses the same viral vectors as the original injection to give a more concentrated and longer lasting injection. This booster has been granted emergency use authorization from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Overall, booster shots appear to be a promising solution to helping us achieve the end of the current global pandemic. While there are still some safety concerns surrounding the implementation of booster shots for the virus, experts have deemed them to be safe and beneficial when used correctly. Booster shots have the ability to increase immunity, as well as create tailored treatments to meet the needs of each patient. With numerous booster shots already available and more in development, there is a potential for this form of vaccination to help move the world closer to the end of this pandemic.
