January 31, 2022
by Justin John Dulogin
When the protection offered by the original shot(s) has begun to weaken over time, a COVID booster injection is administered to deliver an extra dosage of the vaccine. Typically, an individual would receive a booster shot once the immunity from the original dose(s) has begun to fade on its own over time. The booster is intended to assist people in maintaining their current level of immunity for a longer period of time. Increased vaccination doses are sometimes required after receiving a vaccine to defend against a disease such as COVID-19. This is a natural component of the immunization process.
In essence, a “booster” vaccination is an additional dosage of a vaccine given after the initial (or primary) dose has been provided. According to Sandy Salverson, PharmD, vice president of Pharmacy Operations at OSF HealthCare, these boosters can be administered weeks, months, or even years after the initial injection. Some vaccinations are delivered utilizing the technique of administering the initial (or primary) dosage together with a booster dose in order to maximize effectiveness. With the initial dosage, the immune system is ready to identify and make antibodies against the virus against which it was designed to protect the body against infection.
Increased doses of vaccine are given to remind the body’s immune system of the virus that it needs to protect itself against. This helps to enhance or offer a boost to the immune system.
When someone responds completely to the vaccination the first time, but there are signs that the protection is eroding after a period of time, a booster dose of the vaccine can help extend protective immunity. As a result of research suggesting that protection against mild and moderate COVID-19 via the initial vaccination series diminishes over time, boosters are being suggested — particularly for people who were vaccinated a long time ago. Concerns have also been raised concerning the new COVID-19 version, omicron, which has been released.
Fortunately, Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson have all said that laboratory tests have shown that booster doses of these vaccinations provide protection against Omicron variant of the virus infection.
A recent announcement by the Department of Health stated that, as of December 22, fully-vaccinated adults aged 18 and above could “receive a single-dose booster of COVID-19 vaccine at least three months after the second dosage of AstraZeneca vaccine, Moderna vaccine, Pfizer vaccine, Sinovac vaccine, or Sputnik vaccine, or at least two months after Janssen vaccine.” The Philippines has discovered only three imported cases of Omicron, allowing it to maintain lower restrictions despite the fact that average daily infections have declined dramatically from a peak of more than 18,500 in September.
According to the Department of Health, the following vaccinations have been approved for use as an extra shot:
Completely vaccinated persons or those who had the second dose of the anti-COVID vaccine more than three months ago are now eligible to obtain their booster doses at any of the immunization centers in Davao City.
On Monday, December 27, 2021, during the Special Hours program of 87.5 FM Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR), Davao City Mayor Inday Sara Duterte stated that those who have completed their vaccinations are entitled for booster doses or the third dosage of the anti-COVID vaccines. According to a member of the Davao City Covid-19 Task Force, the city has not employed enough booster injections, with just 136,526 doses delivered as of January 18, 2022, according to the official. A booster dosage of 134,526 was administered, which is a poor figure for a booster. “When there is a surge in the number of people who need to be immunized”, the Covid-19 Task Force’s spokesperson, Dr. Michelle Schlosser, says that it is important to open a vaccination site as soon as possible. Dr. Schlosser spoke during a radio interview on January 21 about the importance of opening a vaccination site as soon as possible.