Scientists urge people to take second Covid vaccine booster if offered as Omicron continues to spread
- The highly infectious BA.5 variant is fuelling a surge in cases around the world
- Although vaccine makers are updating their products to counter Omicron’s subvariants, existing vaccines still cut the risk of death or serious illness
Earlier this week the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control expanded eligibility to the over-60s and vulnerable people of any age, citing the rise in the numbers needing treatment in hospital and intensive care.
However, the European Union is withholding the second dose for the general population, citing a lack of strong evidence for its benefits.
In Britain, a second booster dose was offered to people aged over 75 years, care home residents and those with weakened immune systems. Australia has expanded the second booster to those over-30, while the US is reportedly looking to expand the current eligible group from the over-50s to all adults.
“There is no vaccine that prevents respiratory virus infection. There is no vaccine technology currently in use that has been shown to prevent influenza or Sars-CoV-2 infection,” said Nathan Bartlett, a viral immunologist from the University of Newcastle in Australia.