New COVID-19 shots claim to boost omicron protection, states Pfizer

Just days before regulators consider whether to offer Americans updated booster shots this fall, Pfizer announced Saturday that tweaking its COVID-19 vaccine to better target the omicron variant is safe and effective.

Despite this, U.S. vaccines still offer good protection from severe COVID-19 disease and death, especially if a booster dose has been received. As a result of the supercontagious omicron mutant emerging, the efficacy of these vaccines against any infection dropped dramatically.

The Food and Drug Administration has proposed modifying the vaccines made by Pfizer and rival Moderna so they can provide better protection against another COVID-19 outbreak this fall and winter with omicron's even more transmissible relatives spreading widely.

Pfizer found both booster approaches increased immune responses against omicron in a study of over 1,200 older and middle-aged adults who already received 3 vaccine doses.

During a study conducted by Pfizer and BioNTech, the companies evaluated two different methods for updating vaccines: targeting only omicron or a combination booster that added omicron protection to the original vaccine. A study was also conducted on whether the standard dosage -- 30 micrograms -- should remain the same or should be doubled.

25 June 2022