The term is getting popular with every passing day: booster shot. They haven’t reached the Philippines quite yet, but the idea is starting to gain traction as the country-wide vaccine rollout continues.
What’s a booster shot?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines a booster shot or a booster dose as “another dose of a vaccine that is given to someone who built enough protection after vaccination, but then that protection decreased over time.”
When it comes to tetanus and polio, sometimes a vaccination isn’t enough. Likewise, certain diseases need an additional vaccine so your immune system can protect itself better. Or, your protection from your vaccination could wear off as time passes. Or more alarmingly, the disease can mutate, making your vaccine less effective. In the worst-case scenario, it could even render the vaccine useless.
So basically, a booster shot is sort of like an encore vaccine that keeps your immune system on its toes. WebMD says that the booster dose “helps your immune system “remember” the disease-causing germ.”
Don’t get confused: the usual two doses are all right, but…
Do you really need a COVID booster shot? Health experts in America stated that you don’t need any boosters if you’re already vaccinated on September 5.
They also added that though some fully vaccinated people have died, it’s still not enough to weaken the fact that the vaccinations are doing their job.
According to CNN, “99.99% of fully vaccinated people have not had a breakthrough case of Covid-19 resulting in hospitalization or death.”
However, healthcare personnel, the elderly, and immunocompromised individuals can take a booster shot to beef up their immune systems. In addition, people might consider getting booster shots to fend off the other variants of COVID.
At this stage, COVID booster shots aren’t a sure thing yet. We need more data before adding booster shots to the Coronavirus battle plans. However, as preventative measures go, it’s not hard to see why it’s so tempting.
– Alex/WhatALife.ph
Also Read: BOQ to issue vaccination ‘yellow cards’ to OFWs; Learn how
Leave a Reply