By Sue-Ann Wayow
NO one can say if and when another booster shot of the Covid-19 vaccine will be required in approximately nine months to a year after a person is fully vaccinated.
This is according to Professor of Molecular Genetics and Virology Professor Christine Carrington who spoke at the Ministry of Health virtual press conference on Saturday.
She said, “At this time, there is no-one who can say if and when we will need another booster.”
The World Health Organization (WHO) is currently not recommending booster shots, she said.
When a vaccine was approved, many people have concerned about the Emergency Use Approval (EUA) and she explained that there was a difference between EUA and full approval.
With clinical testing on a vaccine there was focus on safety, if it works and length of time it will work for, the professor said.
Prof Carrington said, “You can give emergency use approval once it’s safe and that it works. We don’t have time to wait for two years to find out if the vaccine is going to work for two years, it is for an emergency. Nobody really knows at this stage how long it will last.”
Referring to the antibodies in the vaccine, she said, “Although you lose antibodies, your body remembers how to make them and how to make them quickly and you if get affected again, that disease is expected to be mild.”
Prof Carrington stressed again on the importance at vaccination at this stage because of the various variants that may develop.
