Unfortunately, you have mixed science, politics, and your own ethical perspective in an article about what other people NEED. Of course, that’s what everyone is doing these days, which is why we are in-our current mess.

On the science front, I object to blanket statements about whether people need a third vaccine. First, we really don’t know what the longevity of protection is. Second, some individuals and even some groups, like elderly or disabled in communal living situations, may greatly benefit from a third vaccination. Third, if we see another surge of infection among the unvaccinated, the amount of infectious virions one is exposed to may overwhelm the immune response.

Whether we should be getting a third vaccination before others in the world get one, we also need to remember that the Pfizer vaccine requires cold storage capabilities that are not widely available in much of the world.

And finally, we have stockpiles of vaccine here in the US that are approaching going out of date. Should we throw these out? Or might we make these available to those who want, and might actually need, a third vaccination?

Thank you for writing these articles and sharing your perspective, Dr. Spencer.