It seems wrong to be talking about a booster vaccine when just 45.4 per cent of eligible Australians, aged 16 and older, have received one dose of COVID-19 vaccine.
But, as sure as night follows day, it will happen.
Israel administered booster shots to about 2,000 immunocompromised people before extending the jabs to all those over 60 on 1 August. Yet the country is experiencing a surge of COVID-19 infections with cases at their highest levels since February.
Germany is set to start administering booster jabs to the most vulnerable from next month.
“We need to recognise that this is a virus that isn’t going to go away,” said Professor Sir Ian Diamond, head of the UK Office for National Statistics, this week.
The UK has ordered 35 million doses of Pfizer for a booster campaign in the Northern Hemisphere autumn 2022. The European Union has signed a contract with Pfizer to buy 900 million doses, with an option to repeat the order.
Australia has ordered an extra 85 million doses of Pfizer vaccine to allow for booster shots, and also has 50 million doses of Novavax vaccine to use as boosters. In addition, the Federal Government has purchased 15 million doses of the specific booster vaccine that Moderna is developing.
Preliminary studies in Israel have indicated that while antibody levels in people given two doses of the Pfizer vaccine are still high six months after vaccination, they are beginning to decline.
Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla has said people would likely need a booster dose within 12 months of being fully vaccinated.
Keep your chin up as this COVID-19 ride is far from over.
