COVID-19 booster shots likely
Top health officials said last week that another round of COVID-19 shots may be needed within about a year to protect against the virus.
People who have already been vaccinated may need a booster shot eight to 12 months after their second shot, according to Pfizer officials and Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
Fauci was reported saying that the vaccine’s protection lasts at least six months and probably considerably longer, but he thinks people will require a booster sometime within a year or so after getting the primary shot.
Roughly 47.9 percent of the U.S. population has received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data as of May 19. About 37.8 percent of the population is fully vaccinated.
As of last week, there were about 33 million cases of COVID19 in the United States and more than 587,000 deaths.
Variant-specific boosters may not be needed, health experts predict. Shots protecting against the non-mutated strain of the virus should offer sufficient protection. Pfizer has not yet finished its trials on a booster vaccine.
