"COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Shots Are Premature"

'2021 Global Bio Conference'
Jerome Kim, Director General of the International Vaccine Institute (IVI)
Vaccination Rate Should Be Raised to 80-85% for Herd Immunity

With Overseas Booster Shots in Full Swing
FDA and WHO Scientists
Warn "Premature Booster Shots Cause Myocarditis Side Effects"

Also Claim "Vaccination Needed for High-Risk Groups Without Immune Response"

On the afternoon of the 7th, medical staff are administering the Pfizer vaccine at the COVID-19 vaccination center set up at the Mapo-gu Community Sports Center in Seoul. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporters Seo So-jeong, Lee Chun-hee] "There is not enough data on the decline in vaccine efficacy, so at this point, I believe booster shots (additional vaccinations) are not necessary."

Jerome Kim, Secretary-General of the International Vaccine Institute (IVI), stated at the '2021 Global Bio Conference' held on the 14th at the Grand Intercontinental Seoul Parnas Hotel in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, "I think it is right not to administer booster shots at this time," and expressed doubt about whether it is reasonable to give booster shots to people who do not necessarily need them.

"The necessity of booster shots is not great"

Secretary-General Kim explained, "Booster shots increase neutralizing antibody levels, but we need to see if this actually enhances protection," adding, "Although vaccine efficacy decreases about six months later, this is not so much a decline in efficacy itself but because other variants are spreading." He emphasized that since there is insufficient data on efficacy decline, it is appropriate not to administer booster shots under these circumstances, highlighting that the necessity for booster shots is not significant.

Secretary-General Kim also expressed the view that, from the perspective of vaccine supply equity?where 85% of vaccines produced so far have been provided to high-income countries?the implementation of booster shots in some countries is premature. He said, "60% of the world's population has not even received the first dose," and questioned whether it is reasonable to administer booster shots to people who do not necessarily need them in such a situation.

Jerome Kim, Secretary General of the International Vaccine Institute (IVI) (Photo by International Vaccine Institute)

Secretary-General Kim emphasized that the pandemic is like a time bomb and that vaccines should be administered to as many people as possible as quickly as possible. He pointed out that low-income countries without their own sequencing capabilities cannot understand the infection patterns of COVID-19, increasing the likelihood of unrecognized variants emerging, and stressed the need to reduce this risk.

Regarding the current herd immunity goals, he suggested that the target should be raised because variants continue to emerge. Accordingly, he explained that South Korea, which is conducting vaccination with a primary goal of 70% coverage, needs to consider raising its target.

Scientists from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the World Health Organization (WHO) also stated on the 13th (local time) in the British medical journal The Lancet that booster shots for COVID-19 vaccines are not necessary. They pointed out, "Based on the evidence so far, booster shots do not appear necessary for the general public," and warned that premature booster shots could cause side effects such as myocarditis.

Japan and the UK Begin Booster Shots in Earnest

On the other hand, overseas, as the number of new COVID-19 cases, which had slowed due to vaccination, began to surge again due to the spread of the Delta variant, booster shots are being actively implemented. Israel, which has been administering booster shots since July, is already preparing for a fourth dose. According to Bloomberg and others, Nachman Ash, Director-General of the Israeli Ministry of Health, said, "We hope that there will be no demand for a fourth dose within six months and that the efficacy of the third dose lasts long, but we do not know when that might happen," adding, "We are securing vaccines for the fourth dose."

Japan also decided to implement booster shots in November alongside its transition to a 'With Corona' policy. Taro Kono, Minister in charge of Administrative Reform, recently stated, "Healthcare workers will start the third dose (booster shot) of the COVID-19 vaccine in November, and the elderly will begin in February next year." France has been administering booster shots to elderly residents in nursing homes since the 13th (local time), and the UK plans to administer booster shots within this month.

On the 13th, citizens who received the COVID-19 vaccine at the vaccination center in Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, are waiting in the adverse reaction monitoring area. Photo by Moon Honam munonam@

In South Korea, as the spread of COVID-19 has not subsided, active consideration is being given to implementing booster shots in the fourth quarter. Although the number of new cases fell below 1,500 for two consecutive days on the 14th, the spread centered in the metropolitan area has not yet been curbed. According to the Central Disease Control Headquarters, as of midnight on that day, 1,497 new COVID-19 cases were reported domestically, bringing the total to 275,910.

The vaccination authorities are considering using Pfizer and Moderna messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines from the fourth quarter for residents and inpatients of nursing hospitals and facilities who were vaccinated in February and March this year.

Experts mentioned the necessity of booster shots for high-risk groups. Professor Jung Jae-hoon of Gachon University College of Medicine (Preventive Medicine) said, "The need for booster shots for the general public requires further data verification, but booster shots for high-risk groups are absolutely necessary," and added, "We should also secure sufficient vaccine reserves for additional vaccinations by referring to overseas clinical data from countries that vaccinated early."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.