These days when you watch or read the news, you will certainly see updates about COVID-19. May it be about a new protocol, updates on the numbers of infected and recovered people, or a brief about the latest updates in the medical field, there will always be news about COVID-19.
Ever since the pandemic, medical experts have been doing their best to find the solution to slow down or eradicate the virus. Governments have also participated in stopping the spread of COVID by mandating rules and regulations for everyone’s safety. Among those rules include travel restrictions. At the peak of the pandemic, numerous countries have decided to close their borders to contain and slow down the spread of COVID. Undoubtedly, these restrictions have provided some help which is why people are allowed to travel once more.
However, despite the laws on travelling becoming laxer, you will still be required to take tests such as the rapid antigen test and fit to fly COVID test to prove that you can safely travel and you are not a COVID carrier. This is a requirement for your safety and the people around you.
Small steps such as the relaxation of travel restrictions are just the start of further developments. Because when 2021 came, medical experts were able to develop vaccines and get them rolled out for the public. Governments encourage people to get vaccinated and protected against the virus. According to statistics released by Our World in Data on November 10, 2021, there are almost 40.2% of the world population has already received a full vaccine dosage to this day.
However, vaccines lose their effectiveness over time, especially for the relatively new COVID-19 vaccines. As a response to this and the concern for public health regarding the waning of immunity, the National Health Service or NHS in England announced their plans to offer a third vaccine shot. These shots are known to be booster shots.
The primary goal of booster shots is to prolong the effectiveness of the vaccine. Naturally, people develop significant levels of antibodies after getting a shot, but just like any other vaccine, these antibodies will also gradually drop. And that’s where the booster shots get to work. Their job is to increase the levels of the antibodies again.
With this information about booster shots, it is only normal to want to get a shot for yourself. However, boosters shots are not yet advised to be taken by everyone. Although you can freely visit your vaccination centres and be injected with the booster shots, it is best to wait for six months after receiving your second dose or waiting for the signal from NHS.
In the meantime, only a specific group of people are eligible for the third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. People over 50, frontline workers, those with health issues, and pregnant women are just some of those who are eligible to get the booster shot.
If you are wondering what the side effects of this booster shot could be, it will just be the same as what you have experienced during your first and second dosages. A painful and heavy feeling on your arm where you got injected, tiredness, headache, and mild-flu symptoms are just some of the things you might experience. But remember that it will still vary from one person to another.
If you are still experiencing doubts about getting a third dose, you can read more about the booster shots through this infographic created by Harley Medic International.
