Covid has been around for about two years and is now slowly being conquered by different vaccines such as Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen, and Moderna. Though sadly, there have been multiple new outbreaks of Coronavirus variants. There are public service advertisements that are consistently campaigning for everyone to get the first and second vaccine shots and what’s now known as the “booster shot.” This new booster shot is being given to anyone older than 18 years old across the United States. It is stated by the CDC that all people who are able to should get the “booster shot” in order to be more protected and able to build a stronger immunity against the various variants of COVID-19. A student from Ramapo Highschool reported, “After taking the booster shot I feel safer around many different bacterias, not just Corona. The effects were not half as bad as the second doses of the vaccine. It was just a sore arm.” Research on the other hand does not necessarily support this student’s opinion. The majority of people have reported that after taking the booster shot many experience similar side effects to the second vaccine shot. According to the CDC, these side effects are “normal signs that your body is building protection against COVID-19.” All in all, the vaccine may be helpful to some and can be seen as a choice that may be seen as comforting to many.
Many people are asking the question, are the booster shots really helpful? The many different CDC files and data that have been published since the booster shot has been released show that there has been a great decrease in hospitalizations due to severe illness and a decrease in deaths due to Coronavirus. However, according to the CDC, many public health experts are starting to see that once people have gotten the booster shot it can “reduce protection, especially among certain populations, against mild and moderate disease.” Furthermore, many hospitals have been releasing information proving that worldwide vaccine effectiveness against COVID-19 infections is also decreasing over time among healthcare and other frontline workers. This is causing many people to be discouraged about the vaccine or to discredit the idea of a booster shot.
On the other hand, many more kids are starting to become vaccinated all around the world. The CDC has recently opened up vaccines for children ages 5-11 years old. It is a recommendation to get both doses of the vaccine to help fight against many new variants that have been spreading around the United States. Since the spread of the Delta variant, there have been many more severe cases of COVID-19 found in children. Yet, after many children have taken the vaccine, the rates of Coronavirus in kids has dropped quickly (CDC). This proves that the vaccines help to fight against Covid-19 in children between the ages of 5 and 11.
Overall, vaccines and booster shots have been helpful up to a point when dealing with people’s health. According to the CDC, “COVID-19 vaccines have undergone – and will continue to undergo – the most intensive safety monitoring in U.S. history.” The vaccine has not only stopped the virus from spreading but can also help with different variations of the virus that have grown and are continuing to spread. Yes, there can be risks when taking the vaccine and the booster shot, but CDC research presents proven facts that show how differently everyone reacts to the vaccine when continuing to fight against COVID-19.