There has been debate around COVID-19 vaccine protocols and news regarding booster shots in developed countries, as developing countries are yet to receive first shots. There is much paradox regarding booster shots, and although the FDA recently said people could get the shot, there are discussions about the same by the CDC.
Developed nations are not doing enough to ensure vaccines availability globally
Advanced nations such as the US have been accused of not doing enough to ensure the rest of the world receives the vaccine even as they start giving their people the third shot.
Former US Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke said, “We’re definitely not doing enough. I mean, President Biden has pledged a donation of over a billion vaccine doses, but the world really needs– the rest of the world really needs about 11 billion. So it’s really incumbent upon all the advanced wealthy countries of the world to donate as many doses as possible to pay for the doses to distribute to the underdeveloped countries all around the world. And really, we need to ramp up production facilities.”
Locke added that despite US vaccine makers issuing free licenses to generic companies and even to their competitors to produce the vaccine, there is a need to ramp up production to get more vaccines to people. The focus should be on human infrastructure and logistics of getting the vaccine, especially in Africa, where the vaccines have been turned ways due to lack of storage capability.
FDA and CDC giving different opinions on booster shots
Regarding the paradox surrounding booster shots, Emergency Medicine Physician and Co-founder World Academic Council of Emergency Medicine Dr. Manish Garg said the message from the FDA and the CDC advisory having to give approval from a booster shot is confusing.
Garg said that a study conducted with boosters shows that the vaccine can protect against intubations, hospitalizations, worse outcomes, and death.
