Covid Boosters- Benefits And Side Effects:
The COVID Booster shot is the third dose of the Covid vaccine. It is administered to a person who has already been given 2 shots of a COVID-19 vaccine. Boosters provide more protection against the coronavirus and promote the production of antibodies in the body. (Covid Booster Shots- Are They Needed).
In India, the need for booster shots arose after the third wave of omicron infected thousands of people in the country and caused many deaths. Before Omicron, Indians thought that they were done with covid but after India was with the omicron variant, they became more cautious. This led to the rise in popularity of a COVID-19 booster shot.
Right now, the Booster shot has to be of the same vaccine as the first 2 doses. However, with proper testing and research, a vaccine cocktail- a dosage of different vaccines for the same person, might be possible.
There are many vaccines currently available in India such as Covishield, Covaxin, Sputnik V, Corbevax, ZyCov-D, Spikevax, etc.
With multiple recurrences of COVID-19 in the past 2 years, it is evident that it will keep on recurring in the near future as well. Hence, many boosters will need to be administered for many years to come.
The general opinion of COVID boosters is polarising. Some people feel that it would have many problems and side effects associated with it, while some people feel it is very beneficial for our health and safety. In this article, we will take both into account and inform you more about the Covid booster shot.
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Benefits of Covid Boosters
1. Good for people who are immunocompromised: Boosters provide extra protection from coronavirus to people who have a weak immune system such as people aged over 65 and middle-aged people who have comorbidities. A booster dose can help in the production of antibodies in immunocompromised people.
2. Less likely to get infected in winter: Covid-19 is much more infectious in winter than it is in summer. If it has been more than 9 months since you were administered the second dose of vaccine, then the chances of reinfection might be higher. Hence, you should get a booster shot to reduce the chances of infection in winter.
3. Increases antibodies: With time, the antibody levels in the body drop, and the risk of COVID-19 infection rises. When you get a vaccine shot again, the antibody levels in the body rise again. Therefore, getting booster shots can increase antibodies in the body and reduce the risk of infection.
4. They are safe: Unlike the first COVID-19 dose, booster shots are much more researched and secure. Scientists and doctors have conducted many studies on the efficacy and safety of the booster dose by now. Boosters are completely safe and the death rate associated with them is only about 0.0025 percent, which is only seen in people with comorbidities.
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Side effects of Booster shots
1. Fever and headache: 3rd vaccine or booster shot can cause fever and headache in the administered person. It usually happens a few hours after the dose and may last from 1 to 3 days.
2. Fatigue: Along with fever, booster shots can also cause fatigue. This is because your immune system is busy fighting off the dosage and creating antibodies.
3. Body aches: Covid boosters can cause body aches in people. It is more concentrated on the arms and the back and may cause difficulty in sleeping.
4. Chills: Fever also brings along with itself chills after getting a booster shot. You may feel cold and sweat as well for a day or two after getting the shot.
5. Diarrhoea and vomiting: Covid boosters may cause diarrhea and vomiting in an administered person. You may also lose your appetite for a while after getting the shot.
6. Severe allergic reaction: One of the rarest but most dangerous side effects of covid booster shot is a severe allergic reaction which can cause breathing difficulty, low blood pressure, rashes, and swelling of the throat. If you find yourself having an allergic reaction, then contact the doctor immediately and switch to a different vaccine in the future.
