Mount evidence emphasizes the importance of the Covid-19 booster

Two studies published in the New England Journal of Medicine examine the effectiveness of the Israeli campaign to provide boosters to everyone over the age of 12 due to the spread of delta variants in the summer. Although there were few deaths and severe cases of fully vaccinated people, booster shots dramatically reduced them even further.

There is more evidence that boosters not only recover from weakened immunity, but also improve protection against new coronavirus variants.

Evidence has led those to suggest that the definition of being fully vaccinated should shift from completing two doses of the Pfizer / BioNTech vaccine to completing three doses. ..

What is currently considered fully vaccinated?

Uğur Şahin, CEO of German biotechnology company BioNTech, said at a press conference on Wednesday that the main series of Pfizer / BioNTech coronavirus vaccines should be considered as a three-dose series rather than a two-dose series and a booster. Said.

“Especially given the current availability of data on the Omicron variant, it is very clear that the Omicron variant vaccine must be a triple dose vaccine,” said Şahin.

Pfizer and BioNTech are working on a mutant-specific vaccine for Omicron, which will be available by March if needed. But despite the development of Omicron-specific vaccines, people eligible for booster shots shouldn’t wait, Shahin said.

As scientific data make the benefits of a third coronavirus vaccine clearer, some public health experts need to change the US definition of what it means to be fully vaccinated. Asked. Change the definition.

Currently, CDC is fully vaccinated against Covid-19 by people two weeks after the second vaccination with Pfizer / BioNTech or Moderna vaccine, or two weeks after the single vaccination with Johnson & Johnson vaccine. I consider it to be.

CNN has contacted the CDC for comment on updating its definition.

“I’m very happy to hear from Pfizer from the very encouraging hard science. Redefining public policy and vaccination targets is a big leap. Don’t make it more complicated than them. Vanderbild Dr. William Schaffner, director of preventive medicine at the University School of Medicine and liaison to the CDC’s Immunization Implementation Advisory Board, told CNN Victor Blackwell and Alicin Camerota on Wednesday.

“I think changing the requirements of the meaning of complete vaccination will bring all kinds of downstream effects to all kinds of institutions in the country,” he said. “I don’t think we’re there yet.”

However, it is currently a question whether the definition of complete vaccination will be changed to include three doses, Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Infectious Diseases, said Wednesday.

“This is a technical, almost semantic definition, a definition of the requirements if someone says,” Are you completely vaccinated? ” To be able to attend college and college classes and work at work. “

He added that he did not see the definition change “tomorrow or next week.”

But when it comes to the protection provided by the booster effect, “I don’t think anyone claims that optimal protection is done in the third shot. Whether or not the definition is officially changed, it’s literally a routine idea. It’s always on the table. ” “It will be a problem when it isn’t, not when it isn’t.”

Currently, only about a quarter (25.9%) of fully vaccinated adults in the United States receive a booster coronavirus vaccine, according to CDC data. That percentage is up from the percentage of adults who were boost-immunized a month ago.

After the Thanksgiving holiday, the pace of vaccination is rapidly increasing. According to CDC data, an average of over 950,000 booster doses have been reported daily over the past week, accounting for more than half of all vaccinated doses.

However, there is still room for improvement in vaccination. Based on the CDC guidance, more than 144 million adults need to get a booster. So far, only about 48 million adults have received one.

For people under the age of 18, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration did not convene the Pfizer / BioNTech Vaccine and Related BioNTech Advisory Board for people under the age of 16, according to an FDA spokeswoman, Abbey Capo Bianco. We are considering a request for urgent permission for a Covid-19 booster for children. ..

“Authorities have previously convened VRBPAC for extensive discussions on the use of COVID-19 vaccine boosters and have already approved boosters for 18 and 19 years old. After reviewing Pfizer’s requirements, it does not occur. Concluded. Questions that would benefit from additional discussions by members of the Commission. “

Pfizer applied for a booster EUA for this age group at the end of November and has already been licensed as a booster for people over the age of 18. It is unclear when a decision will be made regarding this request, but Capo Bianco goes on to write: “The FDA cannot predict how long it will take to evaluate data and information, but authorities will consider the request as soon as possible.”

While boosters are being deployed in the United States, the World Health Organization’s over-focus on booster shots is due to the focus in other parts of the world on using the first dose of vaccine as a weapon. I am warning you.

Global call to vaccinate unvaccinated people

Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, WHO Chief Scientist, said at a press conference Wednesday that the first round of vaccination against Covid-19 remains important to combat the spread of the virus.

“I think the message is loud and clear,” Swami Nasan said in a media briefing. “Preventing severe illness and death is the main course of vaccination. That must be our goal.” Said. She added that WHO recommends additional vaccinations for people with immunodeficiency.

However, among the general public, “Unfortunately, there is still a significant proportion of unvaccinated people in countries that are well or oversupplied-30%, 40%. , 50% complete the vaccination course, “Swaminasan said.

“So, unfortunately, boosters are probably not the solution to this,” she said. “At this point, the benefits of reaching people who have not received the primary course of vaccination will be higher than giving additional doses to those who have already completed the primary course.”