Question: My husband and I were fully vaccinated by the end of January (two Moderna shots each), and we wonder if we need another shot now that we are approaching the six-month period of inoculation. I haven’t heard any advice on this topic, and our clinic could offer no new information other than the first round “might” be good for a year.  Your thoughts?

Answer:  You don’t need a booster shot yet.  Here’s the lay of the land– vaccine clinical trials and real-world studies are following participants to understand how long vaccine-derived immunity lasts.  We currently have plenty of good quality data for the period of six-months post-vaccination and these data show that immunity lasts for at least six months. Though the long-term durability of protection is still unknown, we do know that vaccines protect for at least six months.  And as the observation period becomes longer, we’ll know more about protection after 8 months, 12 months, etc.  The point at which you/we would need a booster is when evidence shows either: a) immunity is substantially waning after X time post-vaccination; OR b) viral mutations are making the original vaccine far less effective. At this point and based on what we currently know, you remain well protected!