According to the CDC, vaccine protection against Covid-19 weakens over time, especially for the elderly.

“Also, especially in Pfizer, there was a decline over the age of 65, but not in the younger population. Finally, there is evidence that VE has declined for hospitalization during the Delta period,” she said. Told.

The CDC’s Immunization Implementation Advisory Board meets on Wednesday to discuss the potential need for booster vaccines and to discuss overall vaccine efficacy and safety.

Pfizer has requested the US Food and Drug Administration to approve booster vaccinations for people over the age of 65. The FDA’s own vaccine advisor recommends boosters only to people over the age of 65, people with underlying illnesses at high risk of serious illness, and people working at high risk of exposure.

Overall, Link-Gelles said Moderna’s vaccine efficacy is higher than that of vaccines manufactured by Pfizer / BioNTech. For the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, the effectiveness of the vaccine actually increases over time, even after the Delta variant has become dominant.

A study called SUPERNOVA investigated veterans between February and August of this year. In that study, the Pfizer vaccine provided 92% protection for hospitalizations between the ages of 18 and 64, and 77% protection for people over the age of 65, Link-Gelles said. The Moderna vaccine provided 97% protection for hospitalizations aged 18-64 years and 87% protection for patients aged 65 years and older. The study found that efficacy did not appear to be affected by the arrival of the delta variant.

A study called IVY examined adults hospitalized in 18 states between March and August. The efficacy of Pfizer’s vaccine decreased from 91% 14 to 120 days after complete vaccination to 77% more than 3 months after complete vaccination. The effectiveness of the Moderna vaccine did not actually diminish, with only 92% or 93% in the study.

A study of eight 4,000 healthcare workers, first responders, and other front-line workers tested weekly regardless of symptoms found that vaccine protection against infections ranged from 91% before delta to during delta. It dropped to 66% of.

Pfizer told ACIP that he hopes that the antibody protection from the third dose of the Covid-19 vaccine will last longer than after the first two doses, but will he need more doses later? Further research is needed to determine.

The conversation so far has focused on the company’s double-dose Covid-19 vaccine third dose (booster), and past vaccine experience has shown that the third dose is longer and more powerful. Dr. William Gruber, Senior Vice President of Pfizer, told the Commission that it may provide protection. In that case, the primary series of vaccines may work more effectively with three doses, Gruber said. However, he admitted, some experts believe that protection is likely to decline again after the third booster.

“I think this is driven primarily by what we find, in retrospect as we gather more information about protection, and we just need to keep an eye on it.” Gruber said.

Gruber also said he would continue to investigate whether increasing the interval between vaccinations would work. Currently, the recommendation is 21 days between the first and second doses. He said researchers in Europe and elsewhere are studying at longer intervals, but the company’s focus is on maximizing protection as soon as possible during a pandemic.

“We will continue to investigate whether it makes sense to consider longer intervals,” Gruber said.

Pfizer has not studied the use of the vaccine as a booster for the Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccines, Gruber said, but welcomes research by others. Committee members asked if it was worth discussing, but CDC authorities are available to use the Pfizer vaccine to boost the immunity of those who initially obtained the same Pfizer vaccine. Said it was the only data.

ACIP members said they were worried that the booster story might be mistaken for a signal that the Covid-19 vaccine wouldn’t work. They agreed that it was a false impression and that public health professionals had to fight.

But people also need to understand that the coronavirus vaccine can never completely defeat this virus.

“Coronaviruses are often endemic and very unlikely to prevent all mild or symptomatic respiratory infections,” Dr. Helen Captalbot, an ACIP member at Vanderbilt University, said at a conference. rice field.

“One of the things we need to start understanding is that we are more likely to prevent hospitalization, death, and preferably symptomatic lower respiratory tract infections, but less likely to prevent everything. . “

The panel also heard about a study of the safety of the Covid-19 vaccine in pregnant women.

“So far, I’m incredibly relieved,” Dr. Grace Lee, a professor of pediatrics at Stanford University School of Medicine and chair of ACIP, said at a meeting.

So far, there is no evidence that vaccination during pregnancy increases the risk of miscarriage or birth defects, some experts told the meeting. Still, only 30% of pregnant women in the United States are vaccinated with the coronavirus. Advisors are listening, even though Covid-19 is killing more pregnant women than ever before.

Pregnant people are also at higher risk of being infected with the coronavirus than most serious illnesses, said Dr. Dana Meaney Delman, a leader in maternal immunity at the CDC, at a conference.

“Currently, the number of pregnant women admitted to the ICU in July and August is increasing,” Meenie Delman said at the conference. She said this trend continued until September. “The number of deaths reported in August is the highest reported in any month since the pandemic began,” added Meenie Delman. She said that about 97% of pregnant women treated in Covid-19 hospitals were not vaccinated.

“I want to talk to the general public directly,” added Meenie Delman. “We know that pregnant people with Covid-19 can be very ill. Some die and others experience pregnancy and newborn complications. Thanks to Covid. And some babies grow up without a mother. The Covid-19 vaccine is safe and effective. Vaccine during pregnancy, after delivery, breastfeeding, if you are currently pregnant, or if you are likely to become pregnant in the future. Please receive. “