The decrease of vaccine immunity and higher risks of infections causes the rich nations to rethink the “full vaccinated” meaning. Being “fully vaccinated” usually means two jabs of the covid vaccine. However, now, some nations in Europe like Austria have already started to have more than two jabs of vaccines. In Austria, they have started requiring 3 doses of the vaccine for people over the age of 65. In Israel, you need a 3rd dose of the vaccine to get a green pass(Which allows people to go into local stores like gyms, restaurants, and other places) if you received your second dose more than 6 months prior.
The vaccines are currently mostly given off to richer nations, which have managed to be served first by paying more to drug companies. This leaves the concern for other poor nations that have only 4.6% of their citizens that have received injections. "If we look at low-income countries as a whole, less than 1% of the total vaccine supply has been delivered to those poorest countries, many of which are in Africa," said Anna Mariott, the health policy advisor for Oxfam. Poorer countries can not afford to pay their way to get priority from drug companies, and many of their citizens suffer as a result.
There are also problems for the rich nations, however, as they are gambling with the reliance on vaccines. Dr. David Nabarro, the WHO’s (World Health organization) specialist on Covid-19, is concerned that using vaccines as the main weapon may lead to new variants of Covid-19, leading to a longer, more stretched out, and potentially more dangerous Covid pandemic. He advises that though vaccines are very important, they should not be relied on as the sole repellant of Covid. He suggests opting for a “combination approach”, or having stricter distance policy and mask mandate, in order to support the vaccinations.
This is a really big change. Ever since the start of Covid, the guidelines for being “Fully Vaccinated” have been 2 shots. A third “booster” shot had been optional; but now, there is a chance that it’ll be mandatory for people to have the 3rd shot. Restaurants, shops, and public spaces may start to require a 3rd shot, making it harder for people to interact in person. It’ll be more costly, as the government would have to obtain all those shots and disperse them among the citizens. It’ll add to the already strict existing Covid guidelines. There would be more complaints and more anti-vaccinators. However, on the flip side, this would guarantee more safety for people, and eventually lower Covid infection rates. Overall, this serves as a reminder that we aren’t in the clear; Covid is still a worldwide pandemic, and things will still change accordingly. Having an extra dose of the Covid vaccination is generally better, anyway; it’s better safe than sorry.