SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — Some health agencies across the Bay Area are reporting positive case rates of the omicron variant have crested.
Researchers are working around the clock — examing the possible need for adding another booster shot to the recommended schedule of vaccines.
KRON4’s Philippe Djegal spoke with an infectious disease specialist who says that is still up in the air.
People with weakened immune systems are already approved for up four doses of COVID-19 vaccine.
That is two full doses, a supplemental dose 28 days later, and then a booster shot.
For now, neither the state department of public health nor the CDC are recommending a similar series for those of us who are immunocompromised.
Or, suggesting that a second booster shot for the general public is necessary.
But Professor and Chief of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at UC Davis Health Dr. Dean Blumberg reminds us we are still relatively early on in the pandemic.
And, scientists are still developing the right approach.
“We were calling the first two doses as the primary series, and then the third dose as a booster dose. You know, its possible that maybe three doses are the appropriate primary immunization schedule,” Blumberg said. “Then the boosters will be done on a yearly or every other year basis. We just don’t know. We’re just learning as we go along.”
Blumberg does not believe it would be feasible for the public to be expected to get a booster shot every six months.
At this point, he says it’s still unclear if the current vaccines and boosters will be as effective against future variants of COVID-19.
Maybe they will need to be updated.
“Similar to what we do every year with influenza vaccine, where the vaccine changes every year,” Blumberg said.
Israel has approved a fourth vaccination against the virus as a booster shot, but new research claims that might not be enough for the omicron variant.
Researchers at the CDC and in the United Kingdom reached similar findings.