Covid-19: China considers plans to give most vulnerable people vaccine booster shots
- The country is examining whether it is necessary to give a third shot to the elderly, patients with underlying medical conditions or people in high-risk jobs
- Shao Yiming, from the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, says vaccine effectiveness declines over time but they still offer protection
Shao Yiming, an infectious diseases researcher with the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), said that so far it seemed that the immunity generated by all vaccine types decreased with time, but the body’s immune system retained the memory of how to fight the disease.
“From initial observations, there is no need for a booster shot yet for the general public that has completed vaccination within a year,” Shao said on Saturday.
“However, for the elderly with weaker immune systems and patients with underlying diseases, as well as people who need to travel to high-risk areas for work, or workers who face high exposure risks, [we] are studying whether there is a need for a third booster shot and when.”
The comments came after the Delta variant caused China’s biggest outbreak since January this year.