To prevent the risk of Omicron, several health experts have recommended that people get booster shots. In India, frontline workers and seniors above 60 years have even begun getting these shots so that they are protected against the virus.
What is a COVID-19 booster dose?
This is a single dose of the COVID-19 vaccine that is provided to people after completion of the two primary doses. The effect of the earlier vaccinations may decrease over time; hence, a booster dose has been introduced that will help people maintain their immunity for longer.
Some of the important points to note about the booster dose :
- These boosters can help boost the response of the immune system against the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
- It can also help overcome the virus’s new and emerging viral variants that could completely render the existing vaccines ineffective.
- The precautionary dose is primarily given to eliminate the severity of infection, hospitalisation, and death
- individuals who received two doses of Covishield vaccine will get a third dose of the same. Those who got Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin will get a third jab of it.
There have been multiple new mutations of the virus that emerged after most people were completely vaccinated. This has made the possibility of the pandemic exiting the world next to impossible.
Vaccine boosters on different coronavirus variants
Both Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna vaccines are effective against the concerning new Omicron variant found in South Africa. These companies have decided to be prepared for the future because there is a risk of COVID-19 emerging with its new mutations and variants. That is why these companies have started developing vaccine boosters.
The vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford was not as effective against the Omicron variant, which is why they even decided to develop their own booster vaccines.
Why is it recommended to get the booster shot?
- Even before the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 arrived, multiple data and research made it clear that vaccine protection was declining after 90 days.
- According to a preprint (a piece of research still to be reviewed), people who are over 65 who got the AstraZeneca jab were only 37% protected against COVID. If they received the Pfizer, the jab provided 55% protection to people over 65 years old after 20 weeks of getting their second dose.
- Early real-world data produced by the UK’s Health Security Agency seems to confirm that getting a booster shot will turn the effectiveness and the protection up to 75%. The vaccines and booster shots have shown greater effectiveness against diseases that are severe. Hence the booster shots are expected to provide protection against the new variant, which would be greater than 75%.
- As per multiple researchers and health experts, getting a booster shot will increase your chances of fighting the coronavirus without getting serious health issues, as compared to people who are not vaccinated at all.
- Everyone can get vaccinated unless they are allergic to the vaccine or if the doctor asks you not to get the vaccine as well as the booster shot.
Conclusion
People who are fully vaccinated should get the vaccine booster for more protection against the virus. Seniors with co-morbidities like heart disease, diabetes, blood pressure issues, and other major illnesses should take all the precautionary measures as the new variant can be deadly for people with a weak immune system.
Apollo Clinic has also started giving third dose/booster vaccines in various cities. No need to register for the precautionary vaccine. Those eligible can take an appointment with us or walk into any vaccination centre.