Originally Posted by
Sal-e
Is the vaccine’s effectiveness ultra short-term?...So, why then are boosters being PUSHED to combat variants? Are they withholding the “..constantly developed” batches for when the current batches are used up?
As I understand it, the current vaccines (designed for the original variant/s) still provide good long-term effectiveness against severe illness/death caused by the newer variants, but only short-term effectiveness (perhaps a month) against infection. Boosters are being 'pushed' to prevent the health system from becoming overloaded over the winter period, when other illnesses such as the 'flu are far more prevalent, resulting in more hospital admissions. They are also being pushed in an attempt to keep the number of cases (and employee absences due to isolation requirements) as low as reasonably practical.
Vaccines are not being "constantly developed [in] batches" to keep up with the new variants. The vaccines that are currently available were designed for the original variant/s and there are new vaccines under trial for one of the earlier Omicron variants (BA.3 as I recall). A multi-variant vaccine is also under development. The problem is that it takes time for new vaccines to be designed, manufactured and trialled, and the virus keeps mutating faster than new vaccines can be developed. As a result, the vaccine manufacturers and regulators are always a step or two behind the virus. It is by no means a perfect system, but it's the best we've got.