Boosters are available as soon as six months after the second dose. What does the evidence say about this timing versus a later booster dose?
Boosters are available as soon as six months after the second dose. What does the evidence say about this timing versus a later booster dose?
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SciLine reaches out to our network of scientific experts and poses commonly asked questions about newsworthy topics. Reporters can use the video clips, audio, and comments below in news stories, with attribution to the scientist who made them.
SciLine reaches out to our network of scientific experts and poses commonly asked questions about newsworthy topics. Reporters can use the video clips, audio, and comments below in news stories, with attribution to the scientist who made them.
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What our experts say
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Expert Comments:
Camille Kotton, M.D.
The data look pretty convincing that for people over the age of sixty-five who have waning immunity, an additional dose of vaccine six months after they finish their primary Pfizer vaccine series would be a good idea. But, for the majority of other groups, it does not look as convincing that they need to go out starting exactly six months afterwards and they could delay a bit. Most people would still be very well protected by robust immunity from their primary vaccine series.
Steven Varga, Ph.D.
The data indicate that after two doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, that individuals are very well protected from severe disease for at least six months after the second shot. However, similar to other vaccines such as the yearly influenza vaccine, immunity induced by COVID vaccines starts to wane after six months, which is why the booster shot has been recommended and approved by the FDA and CDC. Because immunity will continue to decline in most people over time, individuals that are at high risk for exposure, such as health care workers and teachers, should get the vaccine as close to six months after their second dose, rather than waiting longer which could result in an increased chance of an individual getting a breakthrough infection over time.
