SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) – As governments and businesses across the country create incentives to get more people vaccinated against COVID-19, you may be wondering how long you’ll be protected as the U.S. vaccine rollout nears the six-month mark.

There are still differing views throughout the United States about the COVID-19 vaccine, which extend into discussions surrounding the possibility of COVID-19 booster shots as well.

Dr. Mike Wilde with Sanford Health in South Dakota said we might not need to worry about booster shots or at least not any time soon.

“Studies looking at our immune system, looking at our immune system and the response to the vaccine, or natural infection, are showing [evidence of] the theory of prolonged immunity,” Wilde said. “So, we’re optimistic that, for the foreseeable future, we will not need a re-vaccine or a booster, but of course, that’s always subject to change as well.”

That includes protection against the different variations of the virus as well.

“The more we get vaccinated up front, evidence again, in the last couple weeks, has shown that, regardless of the three vaccines available in the United States, regardless of which one you get, they do a really nice job of preventing infection from any of the COVID variants out there, or SARS-CoV-2 variants out there,” Wilde said.

Wilde encourages everyone to get the COVID-19 vaccine so we can reach herd immunity.

Sanford recently closed its mass vaccination clinic, but the shots are still available at all of Sanford’s primary care facilities. Wilde said they’ve actually seen an uptick in people getting their shots.

“As people maybe have conversations with their primary care clinicians around ‘should I take the vaccine or shouldn’t I,'” Wilde said. “And as they have those conversations, we’re able to get those vaccines in the primary care offices. And they’re in our neighborhood so you don’t have to travel across the city or travel to a town to get it.”