Gottlieb: “We probably missed a window” to provide a reminder for the delta variant



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Scott Gottlieb, a former Food and Drug Administration (FDA) commissioner who sits on Pfizer’s board of directors, said on Sunday the nation had “likely missed a window” to provide a booster to protect against the delta plus variant infectious disease of COVID-19.

Appearing on CBS’s “Face the Nation,” Gottlieb said many people who were vaccinated early, including those in nursing homes and frontline healthcare workers, could start to show reduced immunity. , pointing out a recent Israeli study that found the effectiveness of the vaccine fell among these groups.

“If you go out and get vaccinated now, this vaccine will get you through fall and winter. What we’re really talking about, people were vaccinated some time ago, where the effectiveness may decrease,” he said. Gottlieb said, adding that the delta variant could potentially “overwhelm their residual antibodies.”

Last week, Pfizer announced that it plans to seek FDA clearance for a third dose of its COVID-19 vaccine, saying another dose provides five to ten times more antibodies when given six months after a second dose.

According to Gottlieb, whether or not the FDA approves the third shot, the request had to be made now in order to prepare it in time for the 2021-2022 COVID season.

“I think, quite frankly, that we probably missed a window in terms of supplying boosters for the Delta variant. The Delta variant is likely to really play out during the months of August and September, maybe October. . This wave of infection will have overtaken us, “Gottlieb said on Sunday. “But you still want to consider boosters for people in the future, especially the vulnerable elderly in nursing homes, the people we know are more vulnerable to infection.”



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