Booster Dose for Tackling Emerging Variant of SARS-CoV-2

ABSTRACT

A novel species of coronavirus has engulfed the entire world. Its severity and rate at which it transmits have left no country untouched. Massive replication has brought mutation in the genomic sequence of the virus. Due to this, many newer variants of SARS-COV-2 have come into play. Many therapies are available for covid 19, such as Remdesivir, Baricitinib, Molnupiravir, etc., but none are effective at preventing SARS-CoV-2 infection. Even most of the efficacious vaccines against the earlier variants are now inefficacious against, the newer variants. So, the people already vaccinated with the primary course of vaccination are at risk of reinfection and symptomatic COVID 19 illness. Furthermore, the initial immune response produced by these vaccines may have diminished with time, paving the pathway for discussion on the absolute need for time off and booster doses for vaccinated people. Some developed countries like the U.K and Israel favor the booster dose strategy, while some defy it, claiming it is necessary to vaccinate unvaccinated people first rather than giving vaccines multiple times. In this article, we have explained the necessity of booster doses in tackling newer variants. However, for the time being, devising a variant-specific vaccine seems promising to hiatus this transmission.