With the delta variant there has been an increase in cases and deaths caused by COVID-19 and that’s why a booster shot is being considered. (MarsBars/Getty Images)
Have you been recently vaccinated from COVID-19? Statistics show that 1.69 million or 17.3 percent of Honduras’ population has been fully vaccinated. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, those vaccinated may need a booster shot because their immune system might be losing protection from the coronavirus, especially with the delta variant.
As stated by the CDC, booster vaccine shots should be available for all U.S. public in the fall. The CDC claims that booster shots were not ready earlier because the FDA was evaluating the safety and effectiveness of the vaccines. Those who qualify for a booster shot are people who have been vaccinated for eight months or more, but the people most likely to get a booster first are those who received vaccines in early 2021. If this would apply in Honduras, it would indicate that the first to receive booster vaccines would most likely be healthcare workers and elderly people.
The first vaccines to have a booster shot are the mRNA vaccines, and those are Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna. However, this does not mean that Johnson and Johnson's/Janssen will not have a booster shot; it just means that they have not created one yet. Information about a J & J/Janssen booster is being released later, because the J and J vaccine came out 70 days after Pfizer and Moderna’s mRNA vaccines. Medics currently suggest that different COVID-19 vaccines should not mix; so those who received the J & J/Janssen vaccine will have to wait a few more weeks to get the booster shot than those who received the mRNA vaccines. It is not recommended to mix vaccines because there are not enough studies to show whether they are compatible, how they react together in a person’s metabolism and immune system, and most importantly, if they can be mixed safely.
Many people confuse the terms, “additional dose” and “booster dose”. Although they seem similar, their purposes are quite different. An additional dose refers to the second dose of a vaccine; it is given to someone who has not developed any or enough immunity against the coronavirus because they have not received the entirety of a vaccine that comes in two doses. On the contrary, a booster dose is given to someone who was once immune, but has lost immunity over time. With the mRNA vaccines, a second dose is recommended 28 days after the first, and a booster dose might be needed eight months later.
A need for booster shots does not imply that the COVID-19 vaccines are not working. Instead, a booster is a reinforcement against the virus. Booster shots are recommended for vaccinated people to continue prevention of severe illness, hospitalization or death; especially with the delta variant or other possible variants coming in the future.
Remember that getting the vaccine and staying safe are part of the process of stopping this pandemic. Stay safe, and go eagles!