COVID-19: Do we need another booster?

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As new COVID-19 variants emerge, vaccines continue to be the most efficient way to protect us from the virus. Does that mean we will need boosters in the near future? It all depends on a couple of factors.

For now, the third COVID-19 syringe is becoming more and more necessary, but it is not clear how long this protection will last. As more Omicron data become available, some researchers are speculating that a fourth vaccination will be required sooner than expected, within a shorter time frame than six months, which was the duration of immunity for the first round of vaccination.

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“When we see real data, it is determined whether the Omicron is well covered by the third dose and for how long. And the second point, I think we’re going to need a fourth dose, “Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla told CNBC. “At Omicron we have to wait and see as we have very little information. Maybe we need it faster. “

With the data available on Omicron, it seems that the more shots people have, the better. The variant is better equipped to avoid vaccination protection, even if two vaccinations can protect against serious illnesses.

A study from South Africa showed that two dosages provided 70% protection against hospitalization and 33% protection against infection by the Omicron variant.

Researchers are also wondering if Omicron needs a specific vaccine that could be ready by March 2022. Not enough data are available yet, but recent figures on the Omicron variant suggest it is significantly different from the beta and delta variants, which were further protected by the vaccine.

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Despite the stress from COVID-19 boosters for the foreseeable future, vaccinations won’t be the only means of fighting the virus. Antiviral pills are under development that could be used to treat severe and mild infections, or to treat COVID-19 when patients are immunocompromised or have an underlying disease for which they must be held responsible. According to ABC News, antiviral pills should be taken as soon as symptoms appear, as they have a relatively small window of action.