Moderna’s Covid booster shot can increase a person’s Omicron variant-fighting antibodies 20-fold, – but still offers far less protection against the new strain than its original vaccine did against earlier variants.
The data released Wednesday show that Omicron’s initial vaccine was far less effective than its other strains. It produced 37 times less anti-Omicron antibodies to the new strain of Wuhan virus, according to Wednesday’s data.
A person can see a 20-fold increase in antibody levels two weeks after they have received a booster shot. However, their Omicron fighting antibodies levels are only half as high after an additional shot.
Moderna offers a booster shot that comes in 50 mgs. This is half of what the other vaccines offer. According to the company, it’s currently gathering data on how 100-microgram doses would compare with the new version. To be approved for use in the United States, the larger dose would require additional regulatory approval.
The promising results are encouraging in fighting the new Covid strain, which was sequenced already 241 times in 33 U.S. state and District of Columbia.
Officials at the CDC warn that Omicron infections are far more widespread than previously thought. It is responsible for approximately 3 percent of US COVID cases and up to 13% in New York.
Moderna found that two doses of COVID-19 have 37 times as many antibodies to the Omicron strain than the original. A booster shot can increase antibody levels by 20 times, but not as much as the original regimen against other strains.
Recent studies show that original COVID-19 vaccines are ineffective at protecting against infection from the Omicron variant. Health officials have urged people to receive their booster shots. Pictured: On November 16, a COVID-19 shot was given to a woman from Denver, Colorado.
On Monday, just 16 percent Americans received their COVID-19 boost shots. Only 30% had been boosted in other states.
“These data are very encouraging and we’re actively working to develop our strategy for the Omicron variant,” the company stated. wrote in a tweet The data can be revealed.
‘We expect data on 100 µg dose booster and on our mRNA multi-valent vaccine approaches in the coming week.’
Recent studies have shown that the initial vaccines do not prevent infection by mutant strains.
A South African study published Wednesday finds that the J&J vaccine – the only one-dose shot available in America – provides little protection from infection at all against Omicron.
Pfizer shared data with BioNTech last week to show that the vaccine is ineffective for preventing new strain infection if only two doses have been given.
Pfizer states that Omicron protection can be reinstituted by a third dose.
Doctor Anthony Fauci is the country’s foremost infectious disease expert and has advised anyone who meets eligibility to receive a booster vaccination. It provides greater protection against Omicron.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends boosters for adults two months after receiving the J&J shot, and six months after the last course of Pfizer and Moderna.
The CDC estimates that 202 million Americans are fully vaccinated, which is 61 percent of all Americans. 27 percent of fully vaccinated people have been given a booster vaccine.
Omicron seems to be spreading faster than other coronavirus varieties. The CDC believes that Omicron now represents 3 percent of new cases in the United States.
Omicrons are now believed to be responsible for 13 percent of all new New York City and New Jersey cases. This is alarming, as infections in New York State are increasing rapidly.
While only 241 Omicron cases are officially confirmed by DNA sequencing across 37 US states, it is likely that the real number is much higher.
Omicron COVID-19 purple now makes up 3% of U.S. Covids, up from less that 1% the week before. According to CDC data, 97% of all new cases are still due to the Delta variant (orange).
CDC modeling displays Omicron’s prevalence as a percentage in total new cases. New York City and New Jersey have 13% each of these variants.
According to the Washington Post, CDC officials conducted a phone conference on Tuesday with high-ranking public health professionals and warned Omicron could cause a serious wave of hospitalizations and cases in the US within the next few months.
Briefings covered two scenarios. One scenario was a worst-case scenario that saw Omicron surge in tandem with Delta variant flu and other factors to inundate hospitals.
This second scenario is a smaller Omicron surge that occurs in spring. The likelihood of either scenario being more probable is not known.
According to one federal official with knowledge of the briefing to the Post, they are examining the information at all levels and thinking about how to make the situation understandable to the general public. ‘It looks daunting.’
American officials prepare for the Omicron wave, which could cause havoc in Europe.
This ultra-transmissible version is already very popular in London. Grim modelling predicts that around 200,000 people catch it each day in the UK.
Wednesday’s record for the most daily coronavirus-related cases confirmed by labs in the UK since the beginning of the pandemic was set by the UK.
Official statistics showed that there had been 78.610 new cases as of Wednesday at 9am, which is a record for a pandemic.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will hold a press conference on Wednesday evening as he faces growing pressure from his own advisers to hit the panic button on new restrictions, with warnings that the country’s health service is in ‘serious peril’.
Meanwhile Dutch primary schools will close early for the Christmas holiday as Europe battles a fresh wave of infections and hospital admissions.
France recorded Tuesday the 63 405th new coronavirus case — their highest daily total since April — while more than 77 per cent of the population had received at least one shot.
According to Johns Hopkins University tracking, the United States has been the hardest hit by the pandemic.
Omicron, which was discovered in South Africa, and first reported to WHO on November 24, 2018, has many mutations. Alarm bells have been sounding ever since.
Early evidence suggests that it is susceptible to vaccinations. It also has a higher transmission rate than the Delta variant. The Delta variant was identified first in India, accounting for most of the coronavirus cases worldwide.
Tedros Ghebreyesus, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that the strain was reported in 77 nations and that it had ‘probably spread’ to all other countries at a rate he has not witnessed with previous versions.
South Africa’s latest study is promising, however.
The study, performed by Discovery Health found that cases of the strain are relatively minor, though, and are unlikely to cause hospitalization or death, though. According to the study, Omicron infection is 20% more likely than the Delta version to cause hospitalizations.
However, the study finds that the variant spreads much faster that previous virus strains, and can circumvent protection provided by the Pfizer vaccine – the most popular jab in the U.S.
If the virus is spread to large numbers of people, it can even lead to a low rate of hospitalization.
The Northeastern US currently is suffering from a wave of post-Thanksgiving stress, even though Christmas celebrations are imminent, which could increase spread.
Connecticut is currently experiencing the largest surge of cases with nearly three times as many people infected over the last week. Each day, approximately 71 people out of 100,000 in Connecticut are being tested positive for the disease.
The leaders include Maine (168% increase in cases during the last two weeks), Delaware (93%), Rhode Island (91%), New Jersey (99%), Massachusetts (88%), and New Jersey (90%)
Alabama also saw a double in cases in the last two weeks. This indicates that the recent southerly winter surge may be starting to show its effects.
These new cases represent a large proportion of those of the Delta variety. However, the Delta strain which has dominated the first half of 2021 is still responsible for 97 percent of U.S. sequenced cases.