The Jalisco Health Department this week announced the conclusion of the Covid-19 vaccination program for adults in the state, with 12 million doses applied since January 2021.
According to Health Secretary Fernando Petersen, 80 percent of the adult population has received at least two doses of a vaccine, and 86 percent a single dose. The program to vaccinate children aged 5 to 11 years is continuing, with 50 percent coverage achieved to date, he said.
Meanwhile, Mexico’s federal government has given no indication whether a new national program to give a fourth or an “updated” Covid booster is forthcoming in the months ahead.
How long one remains safe following a booster shot is a commonly asked question. Some research suggests that protection against infection declines about 40 percent around four months after a third shot of vaccine. However, boosters offer more robust protection against severe disease—80 percent against hospitalization after four months, according to one U.K. study of the Pfizer vaccine.
In the United States, the Covid vaccination programs are continuous. Last month, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommended that people aged five years and older receive one updated (bivalent) booster if it has been at least two months since their last Covid-19 vaccine dose.
U.S. President Joe Biden received the updated jab this week, and urged millions of Americans to do the same by Halloween, if possible, so they can gather safely with family and friends in the holiday season.