The COVID-19 virus, which started a worldwide pandemic in the wake of 2020, is still raving quite wild in some parts of the world. While things have begun to come back to normal for the larger part of the world, things will never be the same as they were pre-COVID. People are still scared and scarred from the many wounds COVID-19 has left regarding health, social structures, the economy, and more. It would take quite a long time to rebuild, innovate and keep moving. But as we all know, the human race is quite resilient, and we always find some way to survive a plague.
And much of our efforts to rebuild the world were thanks to the amazing work done by scientists from all over the world, creating lifesaving vaccines that enabled people to come out once again from isolation. But are we safe enough to disregard these vaccines now? It has been a couple of years, and while the danger might seem far off, it still does linger.
Recently, China has been hit by another wave of COVID-19. This information shines new light on the continued need for COVID-19 vaccines despite the general public viewing the threat as almost over. Here are some reasons why the world still needs COVID-19 vaccines.
Reasons getting the COVID 19 vaccine is important
They are our best defense
While the COVID-19 vaccines’ first release was met with an equal amount of controversy and relief, there were indeed concerns about the efficacy, lack of testing period, and the possible side effects that these vaccines could cost. But so far, COVID-19 vaccines have proven to be our best bet against the worldwide pandemic and have been largely helpful in bringing back stability and giving immunity to the masses.
Continuously evolving virus strains
But one should remember that most of these vaccines are supposed to be supported by boosters at regular intervals, and these boosters are highly recommended to keep the virus from further evolving and spreading worldwide.
The COVID-19 virus is continuously changing, evolving into variants like Delta, Omicron, and more, each susceptible to a particular type of vaccine. For a continuously changing virus like this, we, too, should become more adaptable with our vaccine regimen and ensure booster shots reach all people to achieve herd immunity.
Advancements in the vaccine technology
People seem to overlook that COVID-19 is still a looming threat, and our vaccines are the best weapon we still have over them. Over the past two years, our scientists have worked hard day and night improving on the initial vaccines and providing better results. It is to be noted that the immunity from vaccines wanes over time, and you need the latest booster shots to keep you safe from any new virus variants.
Waning immunity
Data from Qatar says that only 35.5% of pre-omicron infections can protect with BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants. This value descends to 27.7% if you also include asymptotic infections. So the previous notion that once you get vaccinated, you are all clear is quite not true. You need boosters, and you need to keep strengthening your immune system against the upcoming new variants of COVID-19.
There is also this notion that once you get the infection and survive, you get immunity for a lifetime. That is not true, as infection from immunity does fade, and you still need to be vaccinated at the appropriate dosage, if not the full course.
Reach of the vaccine
A large part of the world is still uncovered regarding COVID-19 vaccines. An OUR World in Data report suggests that about 68.7% of the world population has received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. And only 25.1% of people in low-income countries have been able to receive at least one dose. There is a substantial gap between subsequent dosage recipients, and there is not enough awareness in many low-income societies about the need for booster shots and their availability. This leaves them vulnerable to further infections and more spread of the virus and its variants in the future.
Get jabbed now
As the COVID-19 virus keeps on mutating itself, it continues to pose a serious risk. Thus, it is important to get vaccinated and strengthen your immune system against the new variants of the virus. This will help achieve herd immunity, thus keeping the spread of the virus under control.
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