Data from South Africa show the Pfizer vaccine is less effective against the omicron variant. There was a 40-fold reduction in neutralizing antibodies.
The omicron variant of the coronavirus partially evades antibody immunity from two doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, according to initial data from South Africa published Tuesday.
Early lab data released Wednesday suggests a booster shot of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is necessary to ensure protection against omicron, rather than just two doses.
Pfizer said Wednesday that a booster dose of its COVID-19 vaccine may offer important protection against the new omicron variant even though the initial two doses appear significantly less effective.
Preliminary data out of South Africa suggest COVID vaccines are much less effective at stopping infection from the omicron variant, but there's hope the vaccines will protect against severe disease.
First research from South Africa indicates drop in effectiveness of Pfizer vaccine, but Omicron does not completely evade shot; boosters are beneficial
CNN By Jamie Gumbrecht, CNN Preliminary lab studies show two doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine may not provide sufficient protection against the Omicron coronavirus variant, but three doses are able to neutralize it, the companies said in a news release on Wednesday.
By Jamie Gumbrecht, CNN Preliminary lab studies show two doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine may not provide sufficient protection against the Omicron coronavirus variant, but three doses are able to neutralize it, the companies said in a news release on Wednesday.
CNN By Maggie Fox, CNN The Omicron coronavirus variant partly escapes the protection offered by the Pfizer vaccine, but people who have been previously infected and then vaccinated are likely to be well protected, researchers working in South Africa reported Tuesday.
While it appears that Omicron has a "very large" advantage over previous strains, it doesn't appear to be making people sicker, and Pfizer says a booster shot "neutralized" it in the lab.
South African researchers say people who recovered and were vaccinated are largely protected against the new variant, vaccination alone still likely to prevent severe disease
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Pfizer boosters seem to offer Omicron protection -- but two shots may not | Since Then
