What is a booster vaccine shot? Who will need it?

Even as vaccination drives have paced across the world, it has slowly come to notice that the jabs we have- single or double doses aren’t as entirely effective against mutant strains of the SARS-COV-2 virus. The lowered efficacy has thus made a case for the availability of ‘booster’ or third COVID-19 vaccine doses, which will work to strengthen efficacy.

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Some of the booster COVID-19 shots have been clinically proven to be efficacious and mount higher immunity against coronavirus, while some have already been pressed into inoculation. While many leading health experts and vaccine developers make a case for their fast availability to fight the pandemic, does everyone need it? And how helpful will they be in the real world scenario?

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We discuss and settle some of your doubts regarding the availability of COVID-19 vaccine shots…

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A booster shot or a booster COVID dose works as an additional dose that strengthens protection and offers more defensive properties to the immune system to prevent any attacks from the pathogen, or in case, a virus.

As per experts, it is intended to increase immunity against that antigen back to protective levels, after memory against that antigen has declined through time. Booster shots have also been pressed into use for a long time. Vaccines that prevent tetanus, polio and hepatitis B have received booster shots to offer more protection.

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Just like the vaccines which are being used, the booster shots also contain either inactive/ altered/ weakened/mRNA fragments which train the immune system. The primary reason why booster shots are being introduced right now is to target the many variants of concern that have been clinically found to lower the efficacy of the COVID vaccines we have right now.

Additionally, booster shots can also be altered or tweaked to suit specific needs or offer preventive protection against variants of interest, or concern.

A booster shot, once injected prompts into work memory cells in the body, which ‘remember’ the infection and specific mutations that are concerning. So, the injection of shots can be particularly useful against both the original variant (Alpha variant of coronavirus) and additional mutations (such as Beta, Delta, Gamma, or Delta plus). The additional dose can thus ‘boost’ immune defence against the original concerning variant, prompt more antibodies, and if exposed to the different variant, dole necessary immune defences to play.

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Ever since the variants of coronavirus have wreaked havoc across the world and infected even those who have been vaccinated, many vaccine developers have been working on testing the use of booster shots, and urged authorities to consider their use.

Currently, companies like Pfizer are urging authorities to press booster shots into use since they will likely be “neccessary” to maintain high levels of protection against COVID-19. Preliminary studies have shown that Pfizer’s booster shot mounts a 5-10 fold high immunity.

A group of researchers at Oxford University, the minds behind the development of the Oxford-Astrazeneca response have also found that an additional, later dose injected will be able to offer lasting protection against coronavirus.

Apart from this, some separate trials for trying the efficacy, and mixing of booster, different COVID-19 vaccine doses is also being conducted in some parts of the world.

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There has been concerning evidence that for some people with frail immunity, preconditions or immuno-compromising conditions, current COVID-19 vaccines may not work well, or may not offer lasting antibodies, as it would do to the general population. The availability of booster shots will be particularly helpful for people with such conditions since it would amp up the levels of protection offered.

Healthcare workers and frontline staff, who face high exposure rates and dangers from the pandemic may also stand to gain from booster shots right now. Priority vaccinations for these groups have been considered by many countries as well.

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Currently, some countries across the world, such as Israel, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates have started drives again for those who have already been fully vaccinated. With more evidence emerging, it is suspected that countries like Britain, USA may also ramp up their drives. No confirmations of future booster vaccine drives being made available in India have been reported yet.

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There are no fixed timelines as to when and where booster shots would be needed. Studies done by Oxford researchers have suggested that the booster (third) dose would be most effective in boosting immunity when delivered weeks after the second dose, or at least 10 months after the first dose. With mRNA vaccines, the gap could be smaller.

While mix and match of COVID vaccines are also being tested out, there’s no information available if people would be able to get a different booster shot than their original vaccine, or how safe such a choice would be.

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While boosters may be necessary one day, WHO has maintained that there is currently no evidence they were needed yet. As for the mixing or adding of doses, there is no consensus among scientists as well, as of yet.

Even as companies have been urging the need to press booster shots into use, global health bodies have suggested that relying on booster shots, right now will only dry up resources for countries with scarce resources or where vaccines are deficient.

There are also some early reports that suggest that booster shots may also mount some side-effects that may not be welcome by everybody. Therefore, experts are asking people to wait for more concrete evidence on the same to come up, before completely advocating their use.

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