If you thought you were done rolling up your sleeve for the Covid-19 vaccine, get ready to roll up your sleeve one more time. Covid-19 booster shots could begin as early as September 20, 2021.

According to President Joe Biden, a booster shot “will boost your immune response.” There is evidence that the current one (Johnson & Johnson) and two-dose (Pfizer and Moderna) vaccines are less effective over time.

According to National Institutes of Health Director Dr. Francis Collins, the increase in cases of breakthrough infections may not be entirely caused by the delta variant. They could be partly caused by a decrease in effectiveness in the vaccine after several months have passed. 

Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla has said that the Pfizer vaccine ends up being only 84% effective over time. Meanwhile, according to Moderna, their vaccine remains 93% effective 6 months from the time of the second dose. However, studies have shown that the vaccines become a lot less effective over time.

According to a study conducted by the Mayo Clinic, the Pfizer vaccine drops to only being 42% effective while the Moderna vaccine drops to about 76% effective.

Watch the video below to learn more about the upcoming Covid booster shot and who will be eligible to get it first.

It’s recommended that when you are eligible for the booster shot you try to get the same shot you had before. For example, if you got the Pfizer shot for the first 2 doses, you should try to get the Pfizer shot for the third dose. However, if only the Moderna booster is available in your area, it’s better to get a booster of the Moderna vaccine than to wait until the Pfizer booster is available to you.

A Johnson & Johnson booster is still being discussed. According to a statement by Johnson & Johnson, “We are engaging with the U.S. FDA, CDC and other health authorities and will share new data shortly regarding boosting with the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine.”

Johnson & Johnson seems to feel that their one-dose vaccine is very effective and may not require a booster shot. The statement explained, “In July, Johnson & Johnson shared data demonstrating that our single-shot COVID-19 vaccine generated strong, persistent immune activity against the rapidly spreading Delta variant and other highly prevalent SARS-CoV-2 viral variants. Interim results from a Phase 1/2a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine also showed that the durability of the immune response was strong, with no waning for at least eight months, the length of time that had been evaluated to date.”

Does it surprise you that a Covid booster might be necessary for the vaccine to remain effective after 8 months?