Boosters

How Many COVID Vaccine Boosters Will We Need?

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Late last year, studies showed that third shots (boosters) of COVID vaccines were effective at providing a little extra protection from infection — particularly in the face of the Omicron variant. Some countries are now offering fourth doses, but scientists say that endless boosting might not be a viable strategy, nor is it how these vaccines were … Read more

Boosters Can Help End the COVID Pandemic

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Opinion The extra shot doesn’t mean that vaccines are ineffective; our bodies just need a reminder | The Coronavirus Outbreak, A man is given a COVID-19 booster shot at Stony Brook University Research and Development Park in Stony Brook, New York on Nov. 17, 2021. Credit: Steve Pfost/Newsday/Getty ImagesOpinion The extra shot doesn’t mean that … Read more

Omicron Is Likely to Weaken COVID Vaccine Protection–but Boosters Could Restore It

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The fast-spreading Omicron SARS-CoV-2 variant is highly likely to compromise some of the protection from vaccines, suggest the first laboratory studies of Omicron’s ability to evade immunity. But the preliminary results—released overnight by teams in South Africa, Germany, and Sweden, as well as the Pfizer-BioNtech collaboration—hint that protection conferred by existing COVID-19 vaccines won’t be … Read more