The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID vaccine has shown remarkable results so far, with a study in December 2020 showing in the New England Journal of Medicine indicating that it is 94.6 percent effective in preventing a symptomatic COVID infection after two doses. However, in a new interview with NBC News, Pfizer CEO says that a third shot may be needed to obtain full protection. Read on to find out why you might need a third chance, and look for more vaccination news This other vaccine may already protect you against COVID, says study.
During an interview with NBC News Lester Holt, CEO of Pfizer Albert Bourla explained that individuals will have greater protection against the highly contagious COVID variant recently identified by adding an additional third booster shot to the recommended two-dose vaccine. “We believe that the third dose will increase the antibody response 10 to 20 times,” Bourla said.
Pfizer Scientific Officer Mikael Dolsten, MD, recently told Reuters: “The rate of mutations in the current virus is higher than expected. There is a reasonable probability that we will end up with regular boosts.”
A pre-print of a January study by BioNTech, which worked with Pfizer to create the vaccine, found that the doses were effective against the B.1.1.7. variant from the United Kingdom, which is expected to become the dominant tribe in the US in March. But this may not be true with all mutations of the virus. A February report by Pfizer and BioNTech, published in The New England Journal of Medicine, found that the South African variant could reduce protective antibodies caused by the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine by about two-thirds.
To prevent future widespread coronavirus infections, Pfizer plans to test the efficacy of modified versions of the company’s existing vaccine against mutations, starting with the South African variant. And if you want to know more about the latest vaccine, these are the side effects of the New Johnson & Johnson vaccine, says the FDA.
Although it took a better part of a year before the COVID vaccine became available in the US, the development of future boosters to address coronavirus mutants would not take that long. On February 22, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that vaccine companies could potentially apply for emergency authorizations (EUAs) for future coronavirus vaccines instead of conducting additional large-scale clinical trials. “In the case of investigative vaccines being developed for the prevention of COVID-19, any case will be dealt with in respect of one EUA per case,” the FDA statement said. And visit for more information on vaccinations from the country’s top agencies The CDC says you should not do this within two weeks of your COVID vaccine.
Pfizer is currently studying the effectiveness of administering a third shot, and in a statement this week, Moderna the company is also “evaluating the doses of vaccine to increase the neutralization of immunity against the variants of concern,” including the South African variant. (In addition, the Johnson & Johnson single vaccine, which must be approved by the FDA this week, has proven to be very effective in clinical trials in South Africa itself, where it was 82 percent against serious diseases.) As is the case is with your first and second dose, your booster will likely come from the same company as your initial vaccinations.
Although the exact time frame for the most effective application of the third shot has not yet been definitively reported, the time that elapsed between the participants’ first shot and their improvement in the latest Pfizer trials is six months to a year. NBC News. And for the latest COVID news delivered straight to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter.
Although your initial COVID vaccinations – whether one, two or maybe even three – are a good first step in getting the pandemic under control, Bourla explained that it is unlikely to be a one-time deal. “Every year you have to get your flu vaccine. It’s the same with COVID,” Bourla said. And if you’re still looking for an appointment, go check it out You will be able to be vaccinated against any walgreens by this date.