COVID Infection Risk is Soaring in Rhode Island – Why Vaccine Booster Shots Are Critical
Sunday, November 21, 2021
On Friday both the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) expanded the recommendations and eligibility for COVID vaccine booster doses to now be available to everyone over the age of 18. These are some reasons why boosters are extremely important.
1. COVID infections are skyrocketing in Rhode Island and in other areas of the country
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTThe risk of COVID infection is once again very high and rising steeply in Rhode Island, and much of the country and world. According to covidactnow.org Rhode Island has been at a ‘Very High’ risk of infection for the past two weeks, and has been High or Very High since the middle of August. Every day about 500 Rhode Islanders are now confirmed with new COVID infections, compared with under 200 per day just a month ago, with the actual number likely much higher.
According to the CDC, the risk of infection in Rhode Island reached ‘High’, the highest level of danger, on July 30 and has remained high and continued to increase since then.
RI currently has the second-fastest rate of increase of infections in the country, up 87% over the past two weeks. Hospitalizations are also up 28% over the past two weeks. Weekly deaths are now about five times higher than they were just at the beginning of October. COVID cases across the country are up 30% over the past two weeks, with infections in RI climbing about three times faster than the national average. Public health experts believe another surge is underway – and along with it, increasing risks of getting infected.
Increasing numbers of breakthrough infections are happening in the vaccinated. This year 12,810 vaccinated Rhode Islanders became infected with COVID, of which 542 had to be hospitalized, and 83 died. Last week alone over 1,000 vaccinated people in Rhode Island came down with COVID infections. Many of these might have been preventable if those people had received vaccine booster doses.
2. Vaccine effectiveness declines over time
Numerous clinical studies have been done in the U.S., Israel, and other countries have shown that vaccine effectiveness in preventing infection declines over time, though they remain protective against severe illness and death.
One of the most recent studies, published in Science, evaluated 780,000 patients over six months and found the effectiveness of the Moderna vaccine declined from 89% to 58%, the Pfizer vaccine from 87% to 43%, and the Johnson & Johnson vaccine from 86% to 13%.
A study in Sweden in 1.7 million people found the effectiveness of the Pfizer vaccine to decline from 92% initially to 47% by 6 months, and no detectable protection after 7 months. Protection of the Moderna vaccine declined to 59% by 6 months.
Most vaccines require periodic booster doses to maintain their effectiveness, such as the flu vaccine that is given each year.
"I don't know of any other vaccine that we only worry about keeping people out of the hospital. I think an important thing is to prevent people from getting symptomatic disease", said Dr. Anthony Fauci, the senior COVID advisor to President Biden.
3. A booster shot restores protection against breakthrough COVID infections
Multiple studies have shown that a booster dose of a COVID vaccine restores protection against infection. A booster shot of the Pfizer COVID vaccine returns protection to 95%.
Experiences in Israel, where the majority of the population is not only vaccinated but also boosted, have shown a third dose produces substantial declines in severe illness across all age groups. For those over age 60, a booster dose reduced severe illness by 18.7 fold, and reduced death by 14.7 fold. For those age 40-60, a booster reduced severe illness 22 fold.
Israel has successfully used vaccine booster doses to suppress the most recent surge in COVID infections. From a peak of over 11,000 new infections daily in September, booster doses have effectively reduced the new infection rate to below 500 per day.
The FDA and CDC have authorized the mixing of booster doses. While it may be suggested to get a booster dose of the same vaccine type as the initial administration, any vaccine can be used as a booster after initial vaccination. Clinical study also suggests that a booster dose with the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine after a Johnson & Johnson primary vaccination may give greater protection than a second dose of the J&J vaccine.
4. Long COVID is more common than previously thought
Much is still unknown about COVID. It was only discovered less than two years ago, and science is evolving quickly. Long COVID is turning out to be more common and a bigger problem than some thought.
The latest study, a meta-analysis in over 250,000 COVID survivors recently published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, found that 54% - over half - had at least one persistent health problem more than 6 months after the acute course of infection.
Children are also at risk of long COVID. Studies have shown that up to 14% of children – one in seven – can experience long COVID.
The high frequency of long COVID and uncertainty about its long-term health impacts are another reason to get a booster shot and avoid getting infected.
5. Who is eligible for a booster dose?
The latest FDA and CDC guidance greatly simplify vaccine booster dosing. Everyone over age 18 who received their Pfizer or Moderna primary vaccination at least 6 months ago, or the Johnson & Johnson initial vaccination at least 2 months ago, is eligible for a booster shot.
Moreover, the CDC urges everyone over age 50 to get a booster dose.
Only about 18% of vaccinated Rhode Islanders have received a booster dose to date, in line with the averages across the country. At this point, if it’s been more than 6 months since receiving a Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, or 2 months since a Johnson & Johnson vaccine, if you are not boosted, you are not fully protected. With infection rates spiraling and people increasingly gathering indoors as colder weather and the holidays approach, now is an especially important time to be as protected as possible.
“Look what other countries are doing now about adopting a booster campaign virtually for everybody. I think if we do that, and we do it in earnest, I think by the spring we can have pretty good control of this”, said Dr. Anthony Fauci.
Information on COVID booster doses can be found at the CDC website:
and from the Rhode Island Department of Health:
As with everything relating to your health, if you have any questions you should talk with your doctor.
Nick Landekic is a retired scientist and biotechnology executive with over 35 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry.
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