Medical expert explains why we all need a Covid-19 booster shot
It is absolutely vital for those who have already received two shots of Covid-19 vaccines to get a booster as immunity generated by the vaccine degrades over time, a medical expert said on Tuesday.
Dr Wirawat Manosutti, deputy director at Bamrasnaradura Infectious Diseases Institute and a medical adviser at the Department of Disease Control, said the appropriate interval between the second and the third shot is three to six months.
“A three-month interval is recommended for the elderly, frontline medics and people with underlying health conditions, as they carry a higher risk of contracting Covid-19 and developing severe symptoms,” he added.
“To choose a suitable type of booster shot, you should consider the vaccine’s efficacy in raising the body’s antibodies and T-cells against the virus,” Wirawat said. “Currently, both mRNA and viral-vector vaccines are recommended as booster shots as they can both efficiently raise immunity and significantly reduce the risk of developing severe symptoms or death if the recipient contracts the virus.
“Another factor people should consider when choosing the booster shot is the vaccine’s side-effects and your body’s reaction if you received the vaccine as a first or second shot,” he added.
“Covid-19 is a relatively new disease and we still have a long way to go in terms of developing vaccines that are 100 per cent effective,” said Wirawat. “We cannot yet conclude whether more booster shots will be necessary, but for now, everybody should get at least a third shot to keep the disease at bay.”
