New Lyme Disease Vaccine Could Be Available In 2024

A shot to prevent transmission of Lyme disease is currently going through trials and could be available in a couple of years.

Could all the recent talk of vaccines during the COVID pandemic spur a vaccine for Lyme disease to become a reality? According to a Times Union story, that could be the case. A new medicinal shot that would be administered yearly like a flu shot has been in the works at Massachusetts Medical School and could be available to the general public as soon as 2024, The Times Union story says the shot works by "blocking transmission" from the tick making it a preventative versus a traditional vaccine. This method would actually create limited side effects versus a regular vaccine. The first of two year-long trials for the shot are underway and if the trials are successful the shot would be available in the Spring of 2024.

How huge would this be? If you have had Lyme disease or know someone who has had it, you know it can be a debilitating infection if not caught early and treated with antibiotics. Plus, simply preventing infection when you go out in the great outdoors can be a chore wearing clothing and repellent, and then checking for what looks like a tiny speck on your body when looking for deer ticks. This shot could be a game-changer for making exploration of the great outdoors more worry-free!