Moderna CEO claims people need fourth dose as efficacy of boosters decline

After receiving ir booster shots, people will have to require anor shot to be safe amid rising surge of Omicron cases around world, CEO of Moderna, Stephane Bancel suggests. Just last month, CEO of Pfizer, Albert Bourla stated that people will certainly need fourth dose soon and now Stephane Bancel is claiming same, as per reports of CNBC.

Bancel stated that Moderna is working on  booster shot for Omicron variant of COVID-19. However, he also said that it is unlikely to be rey in next two months and that he believes that people will need anor booster in second half of 2022 and beyond, during interview with Goldman Sachs healthcare conference. He furr said that those who are older, work in high-risk jobs, or have underlying health problems may require boosters every year. He claims that  efficacy of boosters is expected to wane over time, which makes fourth shot important.

fourth dose of vaccination increases antibodies five-fold

On or hand, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett stated on Tuesday that a recent study found that a fourth dose of vaccination increases antibodies five-fold, according to New York Post. Booster shots are becoming more crucial in public health initiatives to combat virus, as Omicron has significantly reduced effectiveness of first two vaccinations.

two-dose vaccinations developed by Moderna and Pfizer are only approximately 10% effective at avoiding symptomatic illness. Research released by United Kingdom's Health Security Agency suggests that booster doses are up to 75% effective at preventing symptomatic infection two weeks after receiving shot. According to CNBC, effectiveness of booster shots begins to wane after four weeks. At weeks five to nine after receiving shot, boosters were shown to be 55% to 70% effective in preventing infection, and 40% to 50% effective at week ten.

WHO has slammed use of boosters

WHO, in meanwhile, has slammed use of boosters saying that because of use of booster shots in wealthy countries, poor countries are struggling to get vaccines. experts believe that Omicron is more transmissible than previous variants, but it is also less severe.

Image: AP