Ending booster shot dilemma: Lancet study says third Covid jab not needed [details]

As the Delta variant of Covid is wreaking havoc in many countries, medical experts from various parts of the globe are recently considering the effectiveness of a booster shot. Amid rising dilemma over the third shot of the vaccine,  a Lancet study that reviewed current evidence has suggested that there is currently no need for a booster dose against coronavirus infection. 

Vaccines effective in preventing hospitalizations and deaths

The study report, co-authored by WHO chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan suggested that fully inoculated people who have received two shots of vaccines are effective in preventing hospitalizations and deaths related to Covid infection.

The report also noted that the available vaccine supply if given to non-inoculated people will save far more lives. Philip Krause and Marion Gruber, two scientists who recently left the US Food and Drug Administration are also co-authors of this study. 

"The limited supply of these vaccines will save the most lives if made available to people who are at appreciable risk of serious disease and have not yet received any vaccine. Even if some gain can ultimately be obtained from boosting, it will not outweigh the benefits of providing initial protection to the unvaccinated," wrote researchers in the study report. 

Unnecessary boosters could result in adverse effects

In the study report, researchers also noted that unnecessary boosting could lead to adverse side effects in the future, which may ultimately cause vaccine unacceptance. 

"There could be risks if boosters are widely introduced too soon, or too frequently, especially with vaccines that can have immune-mediated side-effects. If unnecessary boosting causes severe adverse reactions, there could be implications for vaccine acceptance that go beyond Covid-19 vaccines," added researchers. 

However, the study report admitted that booster shots may be needed if the immunity offered by the vaccine gets waned. As the immunity gets waned, the virus will evade the immunity offered by the Covid shots, and in those cases, receiving vaccines that are made to combat the attack of newer variants will be necessary.