So far, the COVID-19 vaccine has been administered in one or two shots, but there is a possibility that more will be needed in the future.
According to CNBC, Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said that a booster dose of a COVID-19 vaccine will “likely” be needed within 12 months of being fully vaccinated. Bourla also said people may need to get vaccinated annually to “suppress the pool of people that can be susceptible to the virus.”
Pfizer and BioNTech announced earlier this month that their vaccine remains effective at least six months after the second dose.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, chief medical advisor to President Joe Biden, told MSNBC that if the duration of immunity lasts a year or a year and a half, “we very well may need to get booster shots to keep up the level of protection.”
Moderna CEO Stéphane Bancel told CNBC that a booster shot for its two-dose vaccine is in the works to be available this fall.
Approximately 20% of the United States population has been fully vaccinated, but that number might slow after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a pause on the Johnson & Johnson vaccine on April 13, due to potential blood clotting. People who had received the vaccine within the past three weeks who develop severe headache, abdominal pain, leg pain or shortness of breath should seek medical care, according to the CDC.
If students have not yet been vaccinated and would like to be, appointments can be made through VaccineFinder. According to the Utah Department of Health, those who receive the vaccine are not considered fully vaccinated until two weeks after their final dose.
Visit coronavirus.utah.gov for current COVID-19 information.
