Booster jabs

Repeat booster doses every four months could eventually weaken the immune response and tire out people, according to the European Medicines Agency [EMA]. Instead, countries should leave more time between booster programs and tie them to the onset of the cold season in each hemisphere, following the blueprint set out by influenza vaccination strategies, the agency said. 

www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-01-11/repeat-booster-shots-risk-overloading-immune-system-ema-says

CDC is updating the recommended quarantine period for anyone in the general public who is exposed to COVID-19. For people who are unvaccinated or are more than six months out from their second mRNA dose (or more than 2 months after the J&J vaccine) and not yet boosted, CDC now recommends quarantine for 5 days followed by strict mask use for an additional 5 days. Alternatively, if a 5-day quarantine is not feasible, it is imperative that an exposed person wear a well-fitting mask at all times when around others for 10 days after exposure. Individuals who have received their booster shot do not need to quarantine following an exposure, but should wear a mask for 10 days after the exposure.  For all those exposed, best practice would also include a test for SARS-CoV-2 at day 5 after exposure. If symptoms occur, individuals should immediately quarantine until a negative test confirms symptoms are not attributable to COVID-19.

www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2021/s1227-isolation-quarantine-guidance.html

There is no evidence at present that healthy children and adolescents need booster doses of COVID-19 vaccine, the World Health Organization's chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan said on Tuesday.

www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/who-says-no-evidence-healthy-children-adolecents-need-covid-19-boosters-2022-01-18/

The government announced that the booster jab must occur "no later than four months" after the second dose as opposed to 7 months previously.

The third dose of the Covid vaccine "no later than four months" also applies to those people who had only one injection followed by an infection, or vice versa, according to France's health ministry.

People who caught the virus after having received two doses of the virus do not need a booster shot, as the ministry considers that "one infection = one dose".

16 and 17 year-olds are not required to have a booster shot to maintain the validity of their pass, and those under 16 do not require a vaccine pass.

However, French people wishing to travel overseas must have a booster shot to be able to access a valid travel certificate.

www.rfi.fr/en/france/20220215-four-million-french-people-need-a-booster-to-keep-their-covid-health-pass

Starting on February 15, to maintain a valid vaccination pass in #France, a booster dose of the #Covid-19 #vaccine will have to be administered no later than four months after the end of the initial vaccination, except for those who have contracted the disease since.

The Morrison Government has secured an additional 85 million doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, providing access to additional booster vaccinations that will protect Australians in the future.

Through continued engagement with Pfizer-BioNTech, the Government has secured 60 million doses in 2022, and 25 million doses in 2023. Delivery will begin in the first quarter of 2022 and enable booster coverage throughout the year.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the new supply schedule that the Government had successfully negotiated with Pfizer-BioNTech would provide every Australian with a booster vaccine if required.

“We have secured an additional 85 million doses of Pfizer, which brings Australia’s total Pfizer doses to 125 million,” the Prime Minister said.

www.pm.gov.au/media/australia-secures-additional-pfizer-biontech-vaccine-2022-and-2023

Health Minister Duclos says vaccination is the key to controlling the spread of COVID-19, but two doses are no longer sufficient.