U.S. health officials are hopeful COVID-19 booster shots will not only provide a higher level of protection for recipients, but also make the virus less transmissible, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky, MD, said during an Aug. 19 interview on NBC's Today.
Here are four quotes from the conversation, as cited by NBC.
On why a third booster shot is necessary:
Dr. Walensky: "We have seen now evidence that we have been looking at just over the last week or so, that has demonstrated that the vaccine is starting to wane against infection. It's still holding up relatively well against severe disease and hospitalizations. But we have also seen that we actually need more protection against the delta virus. And we are starting to see in other countries that they're starting to see waning infection against more severe outcomes. So, we're anticipating that that may come, and we are planning for it so we can be ahead of this virus."
On whether a booster could prevent transmission:
Dr. Walensky: "We do know the higher levels of protection, certainly in the alpha variant, have resulted in less transmission. And we have not seen the data but we are hopeful that the booster will not only protect you, give you a higher level of protection, not just against the delta variant but against a broad range of variants, but it might also decrease the level of virus that you have and make it less transmissible, if you happen to be a breakthrough."
On the potential need for additional boosters:
Dr. Walensky: "Right now we are taking this one step at a time. We know we need a boost now and we will continue to follow the science. But I don't think it is a given that we'll be doing this continuously."
On critics saying boosters are a luxury considering other countries haven't gotten first doses:
Dr. Walensky: "I don't think that this is a choice, in terms of we have to choose one or the other. We are going to do both and we have been doing both. So, just over the last two months, we have delivered 50 million vaccines here in the United States and over a hundred [million] vaccines across the world to 60 countries. Before the end of this year, we anticipate that we will be giving about 100 million boosters here in the United States and over 200 million vaccines around the world."