The COVID-19 pandemic—despite the vaccination drives and precautionary measures—is still haunting the world. After the disastrous consequences of Delta and Delta plus variants, the new omicron variant is adding to the concern for countries around the world. Although numerous people around the world have completed their dosage of the vaccine, the omicron threat is making countries think.
As a precautionary measure to fight against COVID and its variants, various countries have announced to give booster doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to their citizens. Recently, India has become the latest addition to this list—announcing a booster dose for healthcare and frontline workers from January 10.
So, what is a booster dose?
In simple words, a booster dose is just another dose of the vaccine you have already received. As the previous doses of the vaccine provide additional immunity up to a certain period of time, the concept of booster dose was introduced to prolong the effectiveness of the vaccine. You can choose to take the booster dose of the previously received vaccine type, or you can also go for a different booster.
Who is eligible for the dose?
The eligibility of the booster dose varies in many ways. Typically, are eligible to take the booster shot 6 months or more after your previous vaccination. You can get it if you are more than 60-65 years old. Moreover, even if you are not a senior citizen, you can get a booster dose if,
- You live in long-term care settings
- You have underlying medical conditions
- You work or live in high-risk settings
Need for the Booster Dose
The vaccination drives are still the major contributors in preventing the spread of COVID-19 across the world, however, a recent report suggests that the vaccine becomes less effective with time. It is particularly evident in senior citizens, people with chronic diseases, as well as healthcare and other frontline workers.
The booster dose has emerged as a significant way of coping with this crisis efficiently and effectively. Data from clinical trials back this argument by showing that the booster shots increased the immune response in participants. With a better immune response, people can now prevent themselves from the severity of older as well as the new variants of the pandemic. If your country has started providing the booster dose and you are eligible, Business APAC highly recommends you to take it!
