The United States is preparing for the possibility that a shot will be needed between nine and twelve months after people were initially vaccinated against COVID-19, a White House official said Thursday.
While studying the duration of immunity after vaccination, household vaccines may be needed, said David Kessler, chief scientific officer of President Joe Biden’s COVID-19 response task force at a congressional meeting.
“The current thinking is that those who are more vulnerable will have to go first,” he said.
Meanwhile, Albert Bourla, CEO of Pfizer Inc. (PFE.N), said people are likely to need a third-dose COVID-19 vaccine within 12 months and will need annual shots, CNBC reported based on its April 1 remarks. . Announced Thursday. (https://cnb.cx/2Q4MXS1)
Initial data have shown that vaccines from Moderna Inc (MRNA.O) and partners Pfizer Inc (PFE.N) and BioNTech SE retain most of their effectiveness for at least six months, although for how long no longer has been established. read more
Even though the protection lasts much longer than six months, experts said that rapidly spreading variants of the coronavirus and others that can occur can lead to the need for regular booster shots similar to annual flu shots.
The United States also monitors infections in people who have been fully vaccinated, Rochelle Walensky, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, told the House subcommittee hearing.
Of the 77 million people vaccinated in the United States, there were 5,800 such breakthrough infections, Walensky said, including 396 people in need of hospitalization and 74 who died.
According to Walensky, some of these infections occurred because the vaccinated person did not have a strong immune response. But the concern is that in some cases it occurs in people infected with more infectious virus variants.
Earlier this month, Pfizer and partner BioNTech said their vaccine was approximately 91% effective in preventing COVID-19, citing updated trial data that fully vaccinated more than 12,000 people for at least six months. read more
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