Responses to Common Misconceptions Relating to COVID-19 Variant-Adapted mRNA Vaccines
- Resource Type
- article
- Authors
- George Kassianos; Pauline MacDonald; Ivan Aloysius; Shanti Pather
- Source
- Vaccines, Vol 12, Iss 1, p 57 (2024)
- Subject
- COVID-19
SARS-CoV-2
BNT162b2
mRNA vaccines
SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant
vaccination hesitancy
Medicine
- Language
- English
- ISSN
- 12010057
2076-393X
The evolution of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and the waning of immunity over time has necessitated the use of booster doses of original coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines. This has also led to the development and implementation of variant-adapted messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines that include an Omicron sub-lineage component in addition to the antigen based on the wild-type virus spike protein. Subsequent emergence of the recombinant XBB sub-lineages triggered the development of monovalent XBB-based variant-adapted mRNA vaccines, which are available for vaccination campaigns in late 2023. Misconceptions about new variant-adapted vaccines may exacerbate vaccine fatigue and drive the lack of vaccine acceptance. This article aims to address common concerns about the development and use of COVID-19 variant-adapted mRNA vaccines that have emerged as SARS-CoV-2 has continued to evolve.