Though vaccination efforts are providing some relief, the fight against Covid-19 continues.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), all viruses evolve over time, and the same applies to Covid-19. As the virus replicates itself, it could change to form a new variant.
With as widespread a disease as Covid-19, the frequency of mutation may be higher, hence increasing the types of new variants introduced to society.
Hence, booster shots may be necessary to fight against possible future strains.
In a press conference on Thursday (22 Apr), Ministry of Health’s (MOH) director of medical services Kenneth Mak stated that vaccinated individuals are more than likely to stay protected for 15 to 18 months.
However, what lies after the 18th-month mark is still uncertain.
He added that current vaccines may not be effective against future variants, making booster shots necessary.
But before deciding on the next steps, MOH will continue to monitor the domestic situation, especially for possible cases of reinfection.
They will also be working closely with other countries to study the developments worldwide.
According to Mr Mak, many recovered migrant workers have surpassed the 300-day mark since their Covid-19 infection.
But despite their seemingly strong immune response, studies show falling levels of Covid-19 antibodies in their systems, reports The Straits Times (ST).
This therefore means that there’s a chance of reinfection among recovered individuals.
Besides monitoring such cases, the authorities will also look out for those who have been vaccinated. Mr Mak explained at the press conference that,
If we find that their immune levels start to drift downwards, it would then be the right time to start planning to vaccinate these people as well.
Thus, additional vaccines that serve as booster shots for those who have been vaccinated seem likely to be in the pipeline too.
Dealing with a novel virus like Covid-19 which experts are constantly trying to comprehend is a scary endeavour.
And while the ever-evolving situation keeps us at the edge of our seats, we’re glad that the authorities are doing their best to keep people safe.
Hopefully they’ll be able to determine the exact steps they’ll have to take moving forward, and guarantee our protection against the virus.
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Featured image adapted from Mufid Majnun on Unsplash.
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