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Monday, who said available evidence shows vaccines to be highly effective against the delta coronavirus variant and that unwarranted messaging about booster doses undermines overall confidence in vaccines. Getty ImagesThough vaccines are somewhat less effective at preventing symptomatic disease caused by the delta coronavirus variant, studies consistently demonstrate strong protection against severe and symptomatic illness, the researchers said.
With this in mind, the available evidence does not support boosters for the general population, the researchers said, adding that touted indicators of waning immunity do not necessarily point to the vaccine becoming less effective over time. The researchers, who included experts from the Food and Drug Administration and World Health Organization, warned that unnecessary calls for booster shots have “implications for vaccine acceptance that go beyond Covid-19 vaccines,” undermining vaccine confidence and public health messaging on the value of getting vaccinated, particularly if boosters are only used for one type of vaccine.
There is also the potential for “significant adverse reactions” if boosters are administered too soon or used too frequently—the researchers noted the small risk of myocarditis, which is more common after the second dose of an mRNA vaccine—the researchers said, which could further undermine confidence in vaccines.
As well as not being backed up by available scientific evidence, the researchers said the limited supply of vaccines would be able to save more lives if used in people who had not received a vaccine yet, noting that “even if some gain can ultimately be gained from boosting, it will not outweigh the benefits” of protecting the unvaccinated. While some highly vaccinated regions, including the U.S.
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