Photo Courtesy of Andrew Pollard/ Oxford University
Giving COVID boosters to people every six months is not “sustainable” and a fourth dose should not be rolled until there is more evidence, the head of the UK’s vaccine body has said. Sir Andrew Pollard, the chairperson of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunization (JCVI), said that “more strong evidence is needed” before a fourth vaccine in the
Speaking to The Telegraph, Sir Andrew Pollard said, “The future must be focusing on the vulnerable and [making] boosters or treatments available to them to protect them. We know that people have strong antibodies for a few months after their third vaccination, but more data are needed to assess whether, when and how often those who are vulnerable will need additional doses.”
The JCVI expert added: “We can’t vaccinate the planet every four to six months. It’s not sustainable or affordable. In the future, we need to target the vulnerable.”
Countries vary on making a fourth vaccine available to their citizens. As previously reported by NewsOnyx, Israel has begun making a second booster available to all citizens over 60 years of age or immunocompromised.
Professor Pollard was the chief investigator of the Oxford University COVID vaccine trials and helped develop the AstraZeneca vaccine. He expressed optimism even as the Omicron variant continues to ravage the UK. Member of Parliament and Vaccines Minister Maggie Throup said the government will take advice from the JCVI regarding a fourth COVID vaccine dose program.
“The worst is absolutely behind us. We just need to get through the winter,” the Oxford University professor said. He added, “The greatest risk is still the unvaccinated.”
More than 80 percent of UK citizens have had two doses, with 33 million having received one booster.