Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Pfizer CEO Raises Possibility Of Fourth Shot To Combat Omicron
CNBC: Omicron: Pfizer CEO Says We May Need Fourth Covid Vaccine Doses Sooner Than Expected
Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said Wednesday that people might need a fourth Covid-19 shot sooner than expected after preliminary research shows the new omicron variant can undermine protective antibodies generated by the vaccine the company developed with BioNTech. Pfizer and BioNTech released results from an initial lab study Wednesday morning that showed a third shot is effective at fighting the omicron variant, while the initial two-dose vaccination series dropped significantly in its ability to protect against the new strain. However, the two-dose series likely still offers protection against getting severely sick from omicron, the companies said. (Ellyatt, 12/9)
The Washington Post: Omicron May Require Fourth Vaccine Dose, Pfizer Says
The new omicron variant could increase the likelihood that people will need a fourth coronavirus vaccine dose earlier than expected, executives at pharmaceutical giant Pfizer said Wednesday. Boosters are likely to help control the variant, according to the company, which said early lab experiments suggest the standard two-dose regimen still provides some protection against severe illness from the variant. Albert Bourla, Pfizer’s chief executive, had projected that a fourth dose might be needed 12 months after a third shot. But he said on CNBC’s “Squawk Box” that the timeline might need to be moved up. One of the company’s top scientists recently said a fourth shot — possibly one targeting omicron — is likely to be necessary. (Jeong and Suliman, 12/9)
But a third dose offers protection, Pfizer says —
USA Today: COVID-19: Pfizer Says 3rd Dose Of Its Vaccine Protects Against Omicron
A third dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine appears to be as effective against omicron as two doses were against the original variant, according to preliminary data from BioNTech. The same study showed that two doses may prevent severe disease, but aren'tnearly as effective against omicron as they were against earlier variants. "The first line of defense with two doses of vaccination might be compromised (by omicron), and three doses of vaccination are required to restore protection," Özlem Türeci, BioNTech's chief medical officer, said at a Wednesday news conference. (Weintraub, 12/8)
AP: Pfizer Says COVID Booster Shot Offers Protection Against Omicron Variant
Pfizer said Wednesday that a booster dose of its COVID-19 vaccine may offer important protection against the new omicron variant even though the initial two doses appear significantly less effective.Pfizer and its partner BioNTech said that while two doses may not be protective enough to prevent infection, lab tests showed a booster increased by 25-fold people's levels of virus-fighting antibodies against the omicron variant. (12/8)
Pfizer will have better efficacy data soon, the company says —
Bloomberg: Pfizer To Know Covid Shot’s Efficacy Against Omicron Before Year-End
Pfizer Inc. will have data telling how well its vaccine prevents infections with the omicron variant before the end of the year, Chief Executive Officer Albert Bourla said. The company is looking to data on the vaccine’s performance from health providers and other sources to give a clearer picture of effectiveness, Bourla said Wednesday in an interview on Bloomberg Television’s “Balance of Power With David Westin.” “What I really think will be the final verdict will be the real-world data,” he said. “We are expecting to see those toward the end of the year.” (Griffin, 12/8)
