Booster doses of the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines are likely to offer substantial protection

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: New York Times

Booster doses of both the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccines are likely to offer a substantial increase in protection against the new and highly transmissible Omicron variant, Dr. Anthony S. Fauci said Wednesday, adding that “at this point, there is no need for a very specific booster” designed especially to fight Omicron.

Dr. Fauci, President Biden’s top medical adviser for the coronavirus response, shared preliminary data from his institute’s analysis of the Moderna vaccine, showing that while two doses produced a negligible antibody response against Omicron in the laboratory, the protection shot way up after a third dose, suggesting there will be breakthrough infections in fully vaccinated people who have not had their booster shots.

“Our booster vaccine regimens work against Omicron,” Dr. Fauci said. “At this point, there is no need for a very specific booster. And so the message remains clear: If you are unvaccinated get vaccinated, and particularly in the arena of Omicron if you are fully vaccinated, get your booster shot.”

Dr. Fauci’s admonition came as Biden administration officials are bracing for a potential wave of Omicron infections that could overwhelm the health care system. The Centers for Disease Control and Protection warned recently that the percentage of coronavirus cases in the United States caused by the Omicron variant has increased sharply, and may portend a significant surge in infections as soon as next month. The Delta variant remains by far the dominant version across the United States.

Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/live/2021/12/15/world/covid-omicron-vaccines/booster-doses-of-the-moderna-and-pfizer-vaccines-are-likely-to-offer-substantial-protection-from-omicron-fauci-says

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Short article.

Full headline: Booster doses of the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines are likely to offer substantial protection from Omicron, Fauci says.

[DownriverDem]

1. Hope so

I'm triple vaxxed with Moderna.

[Initech]

2. Good news! I'm triple vaxxed and will get how ever many doses we need!

[localroger]

3. Just got my Moderna boost this morning

Walk in at Wally world. Couldn't have been easier.

[OneCrazyDiamond]

4. That is what the study from Israel said.

They only had 20 samples though.
https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israeli-study-finds-pfizer-covid-19-booster-protects-against-omicron-2021-12-11/

Israeli researchers said on Saturday they found that a three-shot course of the Pfizer/BioNTech (PFE.N), (22UAy.DE) COVID-19 vaccine provided significant protection against the new Omicron variant.

[mackdaddy]

5. Got my Moderna Booster 24hrs ago. Just a little sore at injection site.

This protection is great news. I am glad I went ahead an got mine done.

[tibby3k]

6. What about J&J?

Can't find much info about effectiveness of J&J against Omicron 😕

[crickets]

7. Feel free to get a booster.

J&J Booster
https://www.yalemedicine.org/news/johnson-and-johnson-covid-booster
https://www.cnet.com/health/johnson-and-johnson-covid-booster-omicron-variant/

You might want to consider a mix and match approach.

https://abcnews.go.com/US/jj-vaccine-doses-start-fauci/story?id=80620642

“But, Dr. Fauci, the panel was also looking at new data that suggest J&J recipients may be better off getting a booster shot from the more effective Pfizer or Moderna vaccine. Is that a better solution?" Raddatz asked.

“That is true, the data you refer to, that if you boost people who have originally received J&J with either Moderna or Pfizer, the level of antibodies that you induce in them is much higher than if you boost them with the original J&J,” Fauci said.

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/10/13/jj-covid-vaccine-recipients-are-better-off-getting-pfizer-or-moderna-booster-nih-study-suggests.html

All the combinations boosted antibody levels higher, though Pfizer’s and Moderna’s boosters appeared to work best. People who received a booster dose of either the Moderna or Pfizer vaccines had a higher increase in their antibody responses more often than those who received an extra dose of J&J, according to the study.

The study showed recipients of Moderna or Pfizer’s original vaccines could easily swap third doses; the results were about the same. Volunteers who originally received the J&J vaccine appear to have gotten a better immune response if they got a booster made by Pfizer or Moderna. [snip]

J&J’s one-dose vaccine uses an adenovirus, while Pfizer’s and Moderna’s two-dose vaccines use mRNA technology. The thought by scientists is that by “mixing and matching” vaccines that use different platforms, people may be able to get broader protection against the coronavirus and its new variants.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

[BumRushDaShow]

8. It probably depends on what you get boosted with

Since "mix/match" is authorized, a "2nd dose" of Janssen (J&J) or of one of the mRNA vaccines is considered a "booster" and apparently the mRNA 2nd/3rd/boosters have done good at revving the immune system back up again.

Here's a recent article that focused on the booster recommendation - https://www.cnet.com/health/johnson-and-johnson-covid-booster-omicron-variant/

(Janssen (J&J) is still evaluating its vaccine against Omicron)

[BigmanPigman]

9. Pfizer was 40% less effective than the other two

but the booster makes it 90%. I got mine 3 weeks ago.

[Rhiannon12866]

10. Got my Moderna booster last week!

I felt pretty rotten that night and the next day, but it was totally worth it! Thanks for posting!

[BumRushDaShow]

11. I got my Moderna booster a month ago (Nov. 15)

along with a flu shot at the same time and thankfully didn't have any side-effects.

Glad you are feeling better after that booster!!!

[Rhiannon12866]

12. Thanks! It took me a couple of days, but I kinda expected it since I had the same reaction to shot #2

And I certainly don't regret doing it! Now I just have to convince my brother...

[LiberatedUSA]

13. Got all three shots and the flu shot. N/t