The vial of Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine is ready for administration.
Patrick Fallon/AFP via Getty Images
- As countries rush to vaccinate their people, there is evidence that intensified injections may be needed.
- Pfizer is pushing for government approval.
- Israel has announced that it will provide booster injections for high-risk groups.
Does the world need a booster shot of the Covid-19 vaccine?
Although most countries are struggling to manage the first round of vaccines to protect their populations, there is evidence that intensified injections may eventually be needed.
Senior U.S. officials say it is too early to ask for a booster vaccine, but vaccine manufacturer Pfizer (Pfizer) promote Obtaining government approval, Israel announced that it will provide booster injections to high-risk groups who have been vaccinated.
The following are the reasons for the debate:
The rise of Delta variants
First Found in India And now the main form of new coronavirus infection in many countries, the Delta variant of the coronavirus has raised doubts about whether the currently available vaccines provide adequate protection.
Experts say that if vaccinated people are hospitalized or the number of deaths increases significantly, they need to be intensified.
So far, in the United States, the vast majority of serious diseases have occurred in people who have not been vaccinated.
Israeli study shows weakening of protection
The Israeli Ministry of Health announced on July 5 that the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is only 64% effective in preventing the spread and disease of the Delta variant, down from 95% in May.
The Israeli Ministry of Health said its unpublished data showed that the protection of individuals who were vaccinated in January or February weakened.
Read | Israel announces that it will start providing Covid-19 booster shots for adults at risk
On July 11, the Israeli government stated that it would provide boosters for adults with weakened immune systems.
Show the dilemma facing the government, the Palestinian Authority still struggle The Palestinians in the occupied territories were vaccinated for the first round, and the Israeli government refused to share its vaccine supply.
Dr. Fauci says “it’s too early”
Dr. Anthony Fauci, a top US infectious disease scientist, stated on July 11 that it is too early for the US government to recommend re-injection of the vaccine, but he does not rule out the possibility of intensified injections in the future.
“Now, given the data and information we have, we don’t need to give people a third chance,” he said.
This does not mean that we stop there… Research is now underway, while we speak, to study whether and when we should improve people’s feasibility.
However, Dr. David Kessler, Chief Science Officer of the Biden Administration, told the U.S. Congress in April May need to be boosted Within a year.
Antibody jumps 5 to 10 times
Early data from the Pfizer booster study showed that people’s antibody levels jumped 5 to 10 times after the third dose compared to the second dose a few months ago.
Government officials from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the FDA refuted Pfizer’s claims, saying they believed that “this time” there was no need to boost injections.
Pfizer seeks approval from U.S. and EU regulators
Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech said last week that due to the increased risk of infection after six months, they will require US and European regulators to approve a booster dose within a few weeks.
The two companies did not share data showing this risk, but said they would make it public soon.A kind Meeting with federal health officials Pfizer said the discussion is scheduled to take place on Monday.
Leading experts question demand
Leading vaccine experts questioned Pfizer’s reasoning and said that more data is needed to justify the booster vaccine, especially as many countries are still struggling to manage the initial dose.
Dr. Larry Corey, a virologist in charge of the U.S. Covid-19 vaccine trial at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in Seattle, told Reuters: “It’s disappointing that they have made such a complicated decision but took such a unilateral decision. practice.”
