LONDON: Booster Shots to expand Covid-19 vaccine protection may not be necessary for many people, a prominent scientist behind the Astrazeneca vaccine said on Friday.
The University of Oxford’s professor Sarah Gilbert said that the immunity of the vaccine was well survived _ even against the Delta variant.
While parents and those who compromised immunity might need a booster, a two-dose regimen of standard dose provides eternal protection for most people, he said.
“We will see every situation; IMMUNO compromise and the elderly will receive a booster,” he said.
“But I don’t think we need to increase everyone.
Immunity goes well in most people.” Comments come as a combined committee on vaccination and immunization, expert panels who advise the British government, are expected to make recommendations in the coming days on any booster program scale.
British medical regulator on Thursday said the Pfizer and Astrazeneca vaccine was safe to use as a booster.
U.K.
Health Secretary Sajid Javid has said he expects a booster program to start the end of this month.
Gilbert said the world’s priorities should get more vaccines to countries that have received limited inventory.
“We need to get a vaccine to countries where some residents have been vaccinated so far,” Gilbert said.
“We have to do better in this matter.
The first dose has the biggest impact.”