As the COVID-19 pandemic continues and vaccine rollout has begun across the country, it can be challenging to know when you’re eligible to receive the vaccine before making your appointment online.
According to CNN, doctors are worried that COVID-19 may end up being like the flu, which requires a new vaccine every year.
Studies from scientists suggested that immunity from the COVID-19 vaccine provides long-lasting protection. Although, vaccine creators have continually been testing and making versions that protect against the ongoing coronavirus variants that have appeared across the nation.
Pfizer’s data shows people in South Africa who got its vaccine after the coronavirus variant became dominant were still strongly protected from infection.
“It is still matched enough that we have good protection,” Scott Hensley, an immunologist and vaccine expert at the University of Pennsylvania, said.
Last month, Pfizer reported that people who receive doses have strong immunity for at least six months. Experts have explained that that doesn’t mean immunity stops at six months. However, Hensley said that it means that is the longest volunteers in coronavirus trials have been followed to see what their immunity is.
“I would not be surprised if we learned a year from now that these vaccines are still producing a strong immune response,” Hensley said. “I would not be surprised if this is a vaccine that we only get once.”
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