A leading immunologist says New Zealanders should be prepared for the need to have booster shots of the Covid-19 vaccine as new variants of the virus emerge.
While Kiwis aged 12 and up can now be vaccinated against the virus, there are questions over whether the country needs to expand its vaccine strategy to better protect against the highly infectious Covid-19 variants appearing globally.
With New Zealand in the midst of an outbreak of the Covid-19 Delta variant, the Ministry of Health on Tuesday confirmed the C.1.2 Covid-19 variant had been identified at the New Zealand border in June .
Immunologist and Vaccine Alliance Director, Professor Graham Le Gros, told Breakfast Kiwis may need to have more than just two doses of the vaccine, with the possibility of booster shots coming from non-Pfizer vaccines.
A crucial study carried out in Israel will be a key factor in whether New Zealand decides to introduce a booster shot in the future, he said, with results expected in the coming months.
"With these variants, immunity is waning faster because they don't quite get it as well," he said.
"So we'll have to look about having a booster next year and which one, we'll have to wait for the evidence to come."
Le Gros questioned whether two shots of the Pfizer vaccine would be effective down the track against new variants of Covid-19.
"We weren't sure at how good it was at producing long immunity, and that's one thing with the vaccines that we're designing at the moment."
Le Gros told Breakfast he sees booster shots for Covid-19 becoming a necessary measure for people every few years.
"Coronavirus isn't as good as the flu virus. However, we can expect a booster shot every few years.
"Hopefully, we can make a vaccine that can give five to ten years worth of immunity."
SHARE ME