Opinion | The updated booster shot is a reset for how to manage covid
Doing the same in the United States makes sense. Omicron has been dominant here since December 2021 and constitutes virtually all new cases. The BA.5 subvariant alone makes up nearly 89 percent of infections. Both Pfizer and Moderna presented compelling data that a bivalent booster, composed of the original vaccine plus a component targeted to BA.4 and BA.5, will increase the antibodies directed against omicron subvariants.
Those who oppose authorization say that not enough studies have been done to prove that the bivalent version is superior to the original one. In some ways, they are right; real-world studies are still ongoing to prove the new booster is superior. But laboratory studies on a vaccine’s ability to induce antibodies are a good proxy. We also have many years of experience from the flu vaccine, which is updated annually to match emerging mutations.
Moreover, there is a real cost to waiting for definitive results. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that more than 1 million hospitalizations and 100,000 deaths could be averted if booster coverage reached last year’s flu vaccination levels by Oct. 31.
To me, the most crucial part of the CDC’s recommendation is that it simplified booster terminology. Now, all people 12 and older will be considered up-to-date on coronavirus vaccines if they have received this updated version.
Previously, booster recommendations were based on the number of vaccines received. For example, adults 50 and older were supposed to have two vaccines and two boosters. This was getting confusing. What about those who got the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine? What if someone had covid-19, then a first booster? Does that count as two boosts? Since people received boosters at different times, tracking when patients were due for their next shot became cumbersome for clinicians.
It’s much more straightforward to give a blanket recommendation that everyone 12 and older should receive this updated version (studies are still ongoing for children under 12), regardless of number of doses received thus far. Indeed, this is similar to what’s done with the flu vaccine: It’s something to be given every year before the start of flu season. When you go get your flu shot, no one asks you how many shots you’ve received. Whether it’s your first flu shot or your 50th doesn’t matter; what matters is that you get an updated flu shot every year.
This should be the new model for the coronavirus vaccine going forward. Every fall, there could be an…
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