The company said on Friday it said Pfizer’s updated COVID-19 booster significantly improved antibodies against the virus in adults, announcing initial findings from a rigorous study. strict about new injections.
The booster doses that have been adjusted to target the most common strain of omicrons rolled out in early September, and the Food and Drug Administration says the latest data will push more Americans to get one. this dose – especially before another expected wave as people travel for Thanksgiving.
Pfizer said people 55 and older who received an omicron-targeted booster had four times higher antibody levels than those who received an additional dose of the initial vaccine.
With many Americans reluctant to roll up their sleeves again, perhaps the better question is how to get a new boost of strength than going without another dose.
One hint: One month after receiving the new booster dose, antibody levels in people 55 years of age and older were up to 13 times what they were before taking the supplement. Younger adults have grown 9.5-fold, says Pfizer and partner BioNTech. It has been about 11 months since the study participants’ last immunizations.
It’s too early to know how much real-world protection the antibody boost translates into – and how long it will last. The results are preliminary, research is still ongoing, and natural infection-fighting antibodies wear off over time.
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However, the FDA removed the updated booster without requiring prior human testing, based on a decision based on studies of a similarly refined vaccine – against an earlier strain of omicron – rather than the exact formula.
So the new data “reassured us that it was the right decision to switch to this dual-value vaccine,” FDA vaccine team leader Dr. Peter Marks told The Associated Press. “Right now is the time for everyone to consider going out and getting the boost” updated.
Health experts say it’s been a harsh winter. Flu season is starting to be unusually harsh and early, children’s hospitals are packed with another respiratory illness called RSV, and COVID-19 infections are once again expected to increase increased when focusing on vacation.
The original COVID-19 vaccines still provide strong protection against severe illness and death, especially in younger and healthier people who have had at least one booster shot – a reason for those who have not had their first dose of the vaccine. But efficiency drops as new mutants appear and more time passes since someone’s last hit.
The updated doses are combination shots, tailored to enhance protection against both the primary coronavirus and the predominant strain BA.5. Pfizer’s stroke is available to anyone age 5 and up. The updated version of Moderna is intended for people 6 years of age and older.
About 26.3 million Americans have received a boost of updates since they were rolled out in early September, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
A number of recent small studies have raised questions about how the updated boosters would benefit rather than just getting another initial dose of the vaccine.
Pfizer’s initial findings compared several dozen older and younger adults receiving a bivalent booster with a group receiving a fourth dose of the company’s original vaccine.
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