Pfizer and BioNTech say booster shot delivered about six months after the second shot likely to provide best protection from COVID-19, according to initial data.
Dr. Anthony Fauci and the White House COVID-19 Response Team cited evidence supporting the effectiveness of major vaccines, as the country sees a rise in COVID-19 cases among unvaccinated individuals.Pfizer and BioNTech have released initial data from a study on booster shots for their, saying a third dose delivered about six months after the second shot has shown neutralization titers are five to 10 times higher than after two primary doses.
"While protection against severe disease remained high across the full 6 months, the observed decline in efficacy against symptomatic disease over time and the continued emergence of variants are key factors driving our belief that a booster dose will likely be necessary to maintain highest levels of protection," Pfizer said in a statement.
"While we believe a third dose of BNT162b2 has the potential to preserve the highest levels protective efficacy against all currently known variants including Delta, we are remaining vigilant and are developing an updated version of the Pfizer-COVID-19 vaccine that uses a new construct based on the B.1.617.2 lineage, first identified in India and also known as the Delta variant," the companies said in a statement.
Moderna, the maker of the only other authorized mRNA vaccine in the U.S., has made similar statements about the need for booster shots in the past.
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