Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – Pfizer has finally responded to the results of an initial Israeli study that stated the efficacy of the company’s vaccine was down against the Delta variant of Covid-19 that was first discovered in India.
In the initial study, it was stated that the Pfizer vaccine was only 64% effective against the Delta variant of Covid-19. Previously the Pfizer vaccine was 95% effective against the original Covid. The vaccine was 93% effective against serious illness and hospitalization.
Pfizer Chief Scientific Officer Mikael Dolsten said the recently reported decline in vaccine effectiveness in Israel was largely due to infection in people who had been vaccinated in January or February.
“It’s a small data set, but I think the trend is accurate. Six months out, given that Delta is the most infectious variant we’ve ever seen, it can lead to infection and mild illness,” said Mikael Dolsten.
“The Pfizer vaccine is very active against the Delta variant,” said Mikael Dolsten. “But after six months, there is likely to be a risk of reinfection because the antibodies are reduced.”
Mikael Dolsten added that although British and Israeli data showed a decrease in antibody levels, Pfizer’s vaccine was still effective against the Delta variant of Covid. The Pfizer vaccine is also 95% effective against severe symptoms.
For this condition Prizer is submitting an application for the injection of a third dose of vaccine to the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This is a boost against the fast-spreading Delta variant.
Mikael Dolsten said preliminary data from his company’s study showed that the third booster dose resulted in antibody levels five to 10 times higher than after the second dose. Later the results of this study will be tested further on 10 thousand volunteers during the fall.
Although the research is not yet fully completed, he noted that several countries around the world have approached Pfizer to discuss booster doses. One of them is Europe.
“Several countries in Europe and elsewhere have approached Pfizer to discuss booster doses, and some may start administering them before potential US authorization,” he added.
This is also a question for several researchers in the US. Dr. William Schaffner, a vaccine expert at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. He says even if Pfizer manages to get its boosters approved for use by the FDA, it’s only the first step.
He said that the effectiveness of the booster still needs to be reviewed by advisers to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or the CDC. After that, the recommendations appear.
“It’s not automatic by any means,” he said.
(roy/roy)
– .
