[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] There is a growing consensus within the U.S. government on the necessity of a third dose (booster shot) of the COVID-19 vaccine.
The New York Times (NYT) reported on the 24th (local time) that the stance of health officials in the Biden administration, who had been skeptical about the need for booster shots until recently, is changing.
A senior official stated that the elderly aged 65 and over and immunocompromised individuals are likely to be the target groups for booster shots. Immunocompromised individuals include cancer patients, organ transplant recipients, and those infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), estimated to be about 2.7% of the U.S. population.
Earlier, Amanda Cohn, the chief vaccine advisor at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), also announced at the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) meeting held on the 22nd that they are considering administering booster shots to immunocompromised individuals.
The CDC is expected to reach a conclusion on booster shot administration soon.
The NYT stated, "Research showing that the Pfizer vaccine's immunity wanes six months after vaccination has been the basis for this change in stance."
In fact, according to data recently released by the Israeli Ministry of Health, the Pfizer vaccine's effectiveness, which was about 95% from January to April, dropped to 39% in June and July. For this reason, Israel recently approved booster shots for immunocompromised individuals as well.
However, there are still many skeptical views regarding the necessity of booster shots.
Paul Offit, a member of the Vaccine and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC), an advisory body to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), pointed out that an increase in breakthrough infections does not necessarily mean booster shots are needed. Even if vaccinated individuals become infected with COVID-19, severe symptoms are rare.
Offit emphasized, "The goal of vaccines is to prevent death or severe symptoms, not to prevent mild symptoms."
This reaction seems to stem from concerns that discussions about booster shots might inadvertently raise public doubts about vaccine effectiveness.
Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), said, "The COVID-19 vaccines currently in use are very effective," adding, "It is undesirable for discussions about booster shots to lead to distrust in vaccine efficacy."
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