BALTIMORE — It’s been more than two years since the first COVID-19 vaccine was administered in the United States.
Since December 2020, doctors have been creating vaccines against the virus.
Johns Hopkins public fitness experts said that over the past 3 years, approximately 75 percent of the world’s population received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
Recently, demand for vaccines has been weaker than expected.
Johns Hopkins fitness experts said Tuesday that progress has been made since the pandemic began.
However, COVID variants emerge as immunity wanes over time.
“We know that vaccine coverage decreases over time and particularly for mild and moderate disease and, indeed, for infections,” said Dr. William Moss, a professor of epidemiology and immunology.
Dr. Moss said that right now, most people have what’s called hybrid immunity to the vaccine and COVID, but it doesn’t last forever.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says only about 19% of the U. S. population is in the U. S. population. The U. S. has yet to get a COVID vaccine and 16% are up to date on boosters.
Jeremy Saunders told WJZ that he is one of the 16%.
He said the plans motivated him to receive the latest booster shot.
“I just got one before I got here because I like the move,” Saunders said.
As immunity wanes over time, as Dr. Moss said, so does the public’s point of urgency to get the newest vaccine, as hospitalizations continue to decline.
Dr. Moss talked about vaccines that are still in development, calling them an exciting era of vaccinology.
“These come with nasal vaccines,” Dr. Moss said. These will induce immunity in the lining of the nasopharynx, that of initial viral replication. It can prevent infection and decrease transmission, so it’s something to watch out for. “
It’s still uncertain what booster shots will look like in the long term, but experts say it’s imaginable that the Food and Drug Administration will propose administering COVID-19 vaccines potentially once a year.