Vaccine manufacturer COVID-19 Moderna will make available to Americans a third booster vaccine for its two-dose vaccine by the fall, CEO Stéphane Bancel said this week.
The Modern Vaccine is more than 90% effective against coronavirus six months after the second shot, studies show. What remains unclear is how long immunity to the virus lasts.
The same is true for the two-dose COVID-19 vaccine Pfizer.
“It will probably take a third dose, somewhere between six and 12 months. And then from there, there will be an annual revaccination. But all of that needs to be confirmed,” Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla hosted the CVS event on Thursday. Health.
One third booster shot against the virus is not yet necessary, but health experts say it could provide additional immunity against COVID-19 variants that are beginning to spread in the US from Brazil, South Africa and the United Kingdom.
“All of them have suspicions that they may evade vaccine protection,” Justin Gill, an emergency nurse, told CBSN.
There is also a chance that fully vaccinated people may be infected with the virus, as none of the available vaccines provide 100% immunity to COVID-19.
“It simply came to our notice then [who are fully vaccinated] It still gets infected and tests positive for COVID-19, but there are still a lot of unknowns about those individuals who end up being positive, ”Gill said.
Such ‘discovered’ infections are considered very rare, but can occur when vaccinated people are exposed to variants or a significant viral load.
While drug manufacturers are developing a booster shot, people who have already received two doses of Moderna or Pfizer vaccine can be sure that they are well protected against COVID-19.
“Ultimately, it still provides excellent protection,” Gill said. “But we know that some will continue to receive the COVID-19 virus, and it is essential that they continue to follow those public health guidelines, wear a mask and remain vigilant when they are around other individuals.”
Confidence in vaccines has increased among individuals in the United States as more Americans have seen their friends and family members vaccinated, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation.
To date, about 38% of the US population has received at least one dose of vaccine and 24% are fully vaccinated, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.