The third booster shot of the COVID vaccines might soon be recommended by the Biden presidency for all Americans. Sources declare that health officials are currently developing a plan for the administration of third shots starting this autumn. It is very likely that we will receive an official announcement by the end of the week.
Based on the initial vaccination plans, health care workers are expected to be the first ones to receive the booster shots, followed by the vulnerable population. The third dose of vaccine will be needed by those who have chosen the Pfizer or the Moderna vaccines. At the moment, there is no official information about the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, although those vaccinated with it might need an additional shot as well.
“Given the high levels of immune responses observed, a booster dose given within 6 to 12 months after the primary vaccination schedule may help maintain a high level of protection against COVID-19,” reads an official statement from Pfizer–BioNTech
The initial data for authorizing vaccine boosters have already been submitted to the FDA by Pfizer and BioNTech. The good news is that the vaccines appear to be efficient against new variants such as Delta and Beta. However, the antibody response does indeed fade after a couple of months, hence the need for a third booster shot.
“This initial data indicate that we may preserve and even exceed the high levels of protection against the wild-type virus and relevant variants using a third dose of our vaccine. A booster vaccine could help reduce infection and disease rates in people who have previously been vaccinated and better control the spread of virus variants during the coming season,” explained BioNTech CEO and co-founder Dr. Ugur Sahin.
