El Paso infectious disease doctor explains science behind booster shots
EL PASO, Texas -- The Delta variant continues to grip the United States, with hospitalizations at the highest levels they've been since the beginning of the year. That's leading many to start thinking about if or when they need to get a booster shot.
Dr. Armando Meza, infectious disease specialist with Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center of El Paso, said that an additional dose of the Covid-19 vaccine is meant to help those who are immunocompromised.
Those who fall under that category include those who have cancer, HIV or are taking medicine that impacts the their immune system.
Dr. Meza said the goal of the vaccine is to prevent people from getting sicker, going to the hospital, and dying from Covid-19.
He said the ability of these vaccines to protect us is directly related to the amount of antibodies that your immune system can create.
The goal now with these booster shots is to increase the duration of protection.
Although there are still more studies that need to be done, Meza said a booster shot could help bring antibodies up in those who have properly working immune systems.
"The patients who are vaccinated, who are getting infected breakthrough with (the Delta variant) are not ending up in the hospital. (Those) are people who just became infected and got diagnosed because mild symptoms so the booster dose (for) thos individuals who have a normal immune systems is mainly to make the risk of transmission less likely to occur."
The City of El Paso has been providing third doses, but that's only for those who are immunocompromised. The city clarifies that these are not considered to be booster shots.
City officials said booster shots will be available in late September once federal and state guidelines are provided.
However, on Sunday, the White House chief of staff could not give a specific date as to when those booser shots could be available, as they continue to wait for FDA approval.
To schedule an appointment for a Covid-19 vaccine and learn more about the city's plan to distribute the third dose of a vaccine, click here.
