Everything You Need to Know about COVID Booster Shots
Original article from The Brink , 2021
BU epidemiologist explains why coronavirus vaccine boosters are necessary, whether they’ll protect against the Delta variant, more
How do booster shots work? Am I eligible for a COVID-19 booster shot? Why are these booster shots needed? What is the difference between a booster shot and a “third dose” for immunocompromised people? Will members of the Boston University community be able to get additional shots through the University’s vaccine clinic? People are looking for answers to these questions and to many more.
“Over time, even very effective vaccines wane in terms of how effective they are,” said Judy Platt, chair of BU’s Medical Advisory Group, cochair of the Vaccine Preparedness Group, and Student Health Services director, at the recent BU-wide town hall meeting August 19. “The same is true for our relatively new coronavirus vaccines.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended a booster dose to enhance the efficacy of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, starting as soon as September 20 for individuals at least eight months after their second vaccine dose (it has not been recommended yet for the Johnson & Johnson vaccine).
Does that mean BU will begin offering boosters? Not so fast. Platt says BU hopes to offer the booster this fall, but right now the priority in August for the University’s vaccine clinics is to get people vaccinated who are not yet compliant with BU’s vaccine mandate. Beyond that, she says, if BU can acquire more doses of vaccines, then booster doses to the broader community could be offered.
Whether getting a booster shot will be mandatory for BU students, faculty, and staff as part of the University’s vaccine policy will be discussed, BU President Robert A. Brown said during the same August meeting. A booster mandate would be tricky because those shots have to be administered on a rolling basis, depending on when recipients completed their initial round of vaccination, he said.