Pfizer Claims That Its Booster Dose Is Effective Against Omicron

Pfizer claims that its booster dose is effective against Omicron

Washington, Dec 8, 2008 : Pfizer announced Wednesday that it can now provide protection against the Omicron variant Covid-19 with a third dose its mRNA vaccine.
The company released a statement stating that initial laboratory results showed that serum antibodies induced from the Pfizer BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine, (BNT162b2), neutralize the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant.

 Pfizer Claims That Its Booster Dose Is Effective Against Omicron-TeluguStop.com

These antibodies have high efficacy against both wild-type viruses and variants.The third dose increases CD8+ T cells levels against multiple spike proteins, which is thought to correlate with protection against severe diseases.

The vast majority of these are unchanged in the Omicron spike virus, which is a different strain to the wild-type, the company stated.

It stated that serum obtained from vaccines one-month after booster vaccination (third dose BNT162b2 vaccine), neutralized the Omicron variant to levels comparable to those seen for wild-type SARS/CoV-2 spike protein after two doses.”

Individuals who received two doses (or more) of the current Covid-19 vaccine showed an average of more than 25-fold lower neutralisation titers for the Omicron-variant in their sera.This suggests that two doses may not be enough to protect against infection with this variant.

The company believes that people who have been vaccinated may still be protected from severe forms of the disease.They are monitoring the global effectiveness of Omicron.

Additional studies have shown that an antibody booster with the current Covid-19 vaccine by BioNTech and Pfizer increases the antibody levels by 25-fold.

“Even though two doses of the vaccine may still provide protection against severe diseases caused by the Omicron strain of Omicron, it’s clear that these preliminary data show that protection is enhanced with a third dose,” stated Albert Bourla, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer of Pfizer in the statement.

“Broad vaccinations and booster campaigns around world could help us better protect people everywhere, and to get through winter season,” said Ugur Sahin (CEO and Co-Founder at BioNTech).

He also stated that the company will continue to work on an adapt vaccine that will provide a high level protection against Omicron-induced Covid-19 diseases as well as prolonged protection, as opposed to the current vaccine.

A small study by South African researchers found that Pfizer’s Covid vaccine was up to 40 times less effective than the original Omicron variant.

However, Omicron’s ability of evading vaccine antibodies is “incomplete”, according to Prof Alex Sigal, a virologist at Africa Health Research Institute who led the research.

He said, “Previous infection, followed with vaccination or booster, is likely to increase neutralisation and likely confer protection against severe disease in Omicron infection.”

Moderna and Johnson & Johnson will also release laboratory results from the Omicron variant within the next few days.

Bourla stated that the company should have been more aware of the lack of facilities, infrastructure, and vaccine hesitancy hurdles facing poor countries in an interview with The Wall Street Journal.However, Bourla noted that the drugmaker sent more doses of its products to low-income countries after increasing manufacturing.

He said Tuesday at The Wall Street Journal CEO Council, “We should’ve done it better.”

To address the problem of vaccine hesitancy, the company could have partnered with NGOs earlier.He praised the World Health Organisation’s recent efforts to do so, but said that it was something that could have been done by the company.

He also stated that the Omicron variant that causes Covid-19 is milder than other strains, but it seems to spread faster, which could lead to more mutations.

He said, “I don’t think it’s good news to see something spread fast.” “Spreads quickly means it will be in billions and another mutation may come.That is not what you want.”

Bourla stated that she is optimistic that the US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) will approve the company’s Covid-19 drug Paxlovid this month.In a preliminary analysis of late-stage research results, the pill was found to be 89 percent effective in reducing the risk for death and hospitalisation.

rvt/vd

#Pfizer #booster #dose #effective #Omicron #Washington #Washington #Covid #Covid-19

Disclaimer : TeluguStop.com Editorial Team not involved in creation of this article & holds no responsibility for its content..This Article is Provided by IANS, Please contact IANS if any issues in Article .


Follow Us on FacebookFollow Us on WhatsAppFollow Us on Twitter