Covid vaccine protection highly likely to wane over time – UK advisers say

The protection that vaccines give against coronavirus infection, and potentially severe disease, is highly likely to wane over time so vaccine campaigns will continue for years to come, scientists told the British government’s advisory group.

“It is highly likely that vaccine induced immunity to SARS-CoV-2 infection, and potentially severe disease (but probably to a lesser extent) will wane over time,” according to an executive summary of a document considered by the government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE).

“It is therefore likely that there will be vaccination campaigns against SARS-CoV-2 for many years to come, but currently we do not know what will be the optimal required frequency for re-vaccination to protect the vulnerable from COVID disease,” the scientists said.

The document, titled “How long will vaccines continue to protect against COVID?”, was written by prominent virologists and epidemiologists and released on Friday.