National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases director Dr. Anthony Fauci said that Americans will “just have to deal with” the prospect of getting regular coronavirus booster shots.
Fauci made the statement on Sunday morning, adding that the level of protection provided by the current coronavirus booster shots given to individuals will have to be monitored closely over the next several months.
“If it becomes necessary to get yet another boost, then we’ll just have to deal with it when that occurs,” Fauci said.
Fauci who is also the Chief Medical Advisor to the president added that he’s “hoping” that a third mRNA shot will provide longer-lasting protection.
“I’m hoping from an immunological standpoint that that third shot of an mRNA and the second shot of a J&J will provide more protection than just the six months or so that we’re seeing right now,” Dr. Fauci said.
He claimed that it’s possible that the booster shot could “dramatically” increase the level of protection.
“It’s tough to tell because the third shot of an mRNA could not only do what we absolutely know it does, is it dramatically increased the level of protection. But from an immunological standpoint, it could very well increase the durability of protection by things that you can’t readily measure by the level of antibodies that you might have a maturation of the immune system that would prolong the durability,” Fauci said.
For the time being, “official requirements” for being fully vaccinated are not changing.
“For official requirements, it’s still two shots of the mRNA and one shot of the J&J for the official determination of what’s required or not.”
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