OPINION: J&J and Moderna vaccine boosters ensure a safe future after period of adversity in the nation

Amos Press|October 18, 2021

The vaccines have proved to be effective, so the boosters can further help combat current COVID-19 cases.

In times of stress and division within the U.S., many people would not expect drug companies such as Moderna and Johnson & Johnson to release more of the seemingly controversial vaccines in the form of boosters. But in reality, the boosters could bring the country to a healthier future.

The boosters are a third counter to the dangerous COVID-19 virus that has plagued the world for almost two years. COVID-19 vaccines have been an integral part of the fight against the virus, and many believe that the boosters will prove no less. Right now, Google’s crowd-sourced COVID-19 graphing system shows that 58 percent of the U.S. is fully vaccinated, and the rate of cases in California has decreased 28 percent in the month of September alone. The booster is a useful vaccine for those who initially responded to the vaccine positively because its effects wane over time.

For those who lost friends and loved ones to the virus, the vaccines were vital for them. The boosters will be able to secure the future and family that people never wanted to lose.

Dr. Anthony Fauci of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases believes that not administering booster shots is harmful. Though the FDA states that the boosters would be beneficial to those immunocompromised and above 65, there are always adolescents and young adults who are in danger of getting COVID-19 even after the vaccines.

A recent CDC study shows that the effects of the Pfizer vaccine may be waning after months of being administered. According to The New York Times, “the Pfizer vaccine was 91 percent effective in preventing hospitalization. Beyond 120 days, though, its effectiveness fell to 77 percent.” This is worrying, but providing the booster to whoever wants it will benefit those who received the Pfizer vaccine or feel the need to ensure their future in a COVID-19 free world.

Some claim that the current production and administration of the boosters will detract from the U.S. government buying and shipping out vaccines globally. Although it is true that the government will probably consider reducing the production of the boosters, the Biden administration has already bought and will be preparing another batch of more than 500 million vaccines for other countries.

The effects of the COVID-19 vaccine are clear: there was a need for the vaccine and that need was met. But the virus is still killing people. The boosters can help secure a future free from the sorrows and limitations of life in the pandemic.