Giving COVID-19 booster shots multiple times a year not feasible: Scientist

A leading scientist, who helped create the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, believes its not feasible to give everyone in the world booster shots multiple times a year.

Professor Andrew Pollard, the director of the Oxford Vaccine Group and head of UK’s Committee on Vaccination and Immunization, says the planet cannot be vaccinated every four to six months. He highlighted that its not sustainable or affordable. “It really is not affordable, sustainable or probably even needed to vaccinate everyone on the planet every four to six months. We haven’t even managed to vaccinate everyone in Africa with one dose so we’re certainly not going to get to a point where fourth doses for everyone is manageable.” He said that less than 10% of people in low-income countries have even had their first dose, so the whole idea of regular fourth doses globally is just not sensible.

The scientist emphasized the need to target the vulnerable going forward, rather than administering doses to everyone age 12 and older. Pollard said more data is needed to ascertain whether, when and how often those who are vulnerable will need additional doses. He highlighted that further evidence was needed before offering a fourth COVID-19 shot to the people in the UK, which is currently rolling out third shots to healthy people 18 and older, and at-risk people 16 and over.

Pollard said those who would need further boosters were likely to be older adults or those with health conditions. “There will be new variants after Omicron,” he added. “We don’t yet know how they are going to behave and that may completely change the view on what the right thing to do is.”

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On the positive side, the expert noted that the worst is behind us and the world just needs to get through the winter. “At some point, society has to open up. When we do open, there will be a period with a bump in infections, which is why winter is probably not the best time.”