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As the Delta variant continues to generate a fourth wave of the coronavirus pandemic in the United States, officials at Biden increasingly consider a recall among at least some vaccinated Americans.
Why is this important: Another round of gunfire – starting as early as late fall – could not only increase the level of protection against the virus among those vaccinated, but also help curb its spread among the population.
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Between the lines: The amount of neutralizing antibodies a person has after their first two doses of Pfizer and Moderna coronavirus vaccines appear to drop over time, which is quite normal with vaccines.
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The open scientific question has been what this means for the person’s overall protection against the virus, especially because neutralizing antibodies are not the body’s only form of immunity.
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Some Biden officials are increasingly convinced that high levels of neutralizing antibodies correlate with a higher degree of protection against the disease. They are concerned that this means that as time passes, those vaccinated may be increasingly vulnerable to mild, moderate, or even severe illness, a Biden official told Axios.
The New York Times first reported on Friday that health officials in the Biden administration increasingly believe vulnerable populations will need boosters.
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This growing consensus is “related in part to research suggesting that the Pfizer vaccine is less effective against the coronavirus after about six months,” according to the NYT.
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Vaccine makers have been warning for months that some Americans may need booster shots as early as September.
The big picture: There is currently no data to suggest that people who have received an injection – even those who were among the first to be vaccinated – are at risk of becoming seriously ill if they contract a breakthrough infection.
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That doesn’t mean they never will be. And recent data suggests that protection against asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic illnesses wanes over time.
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Although the efficacy of the critical illness vaccine appears to be holding up among the three vaccines authorized in the United States, some officials fear this may continue to be true, the Biden official said, adding that recalls could begin as soon as possible. late fall.
Officials also believe that a booster can reduce the chances that a vaccinated person could transmit the virus, which would help reduce its overall prevalence in the United States, especially if the Delta variant increases cases as much as expected.
What we are looking at: The Biden administration has purchased enough doses of the vaccine to ensure the United States will have enough for anyone who wants a booster to receive one.
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The rest of the world, however, is likely to wonder why Americans should be given a third injection when billions of people around the world await their first.
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