COVID-19 Vaccine Boosters Are Not Necessary Yet, Say Top Health Officials

In a viewpoint published in the Lancet, leading health officials from around the world say booster doses of the COVID-19 vaccine aren’t necessary yet. “Current evidence does not … appear to show a need for boosting in the general population, in which [vaccine] efficacy against severe disease remains high,” the authors write. The health authorities say some people, including those with weakened immune systems, may need booster doses to heighten their protection against COVID-19, but that data supporting the need to give the general population additional doses aren’t convincing at this point. The commentary included experts from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the World Health Organization (WHO), as well as major academic institutions around the world. It heightens the ongoing tension among public health officials concerning if, and when, booster doses should be given. One issue surrounds the science—public health authorities are still interpreting data on infections and disease among vaccinated people to understand what those mean for immunity. Another issue is the limited supply of vaccines for most of the world. Earlier this summer, the WHO asked for a moratorium on providing boosters, at least until the end of the year, until more people, especially in lower resource countries, can get vaccinated. The U.S.’s public health leaders, however, led by the White House, decided to roll out boosters beginning Sept. 20, despi...
Source: TIME: Health - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Uncategorized COVID-19 healthscienceclimate Source Type: news