Hours after Pfizer indicated that it would seek authorization from US regulators for a third dose of its COVID-19 vaccine, two of the major federal agencies maintained that the Americans still do not need boosters.
According to the pharmacist, another injection within 12 months could dramatically raise immunity and perhaps provide protection against more contagious mutations of the virus, such as the Delta variant.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a joint statement noting that it is not just up to companies to decide when the boosters might be necessary.
“Americans who have been fully vaccinated do not need a booster shot at this time,” they said.
Pfizer explained that the first data from a study indicates that a person’s antibodies increase five to 10 times after a third dose, compared to a second injection months before.
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