Pfizer, Inc., and BioNTech SE have submitted an application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for emergency use authorization (EUA) to give an additional COVID-19 booster shot to people 65 years of age and older.
According to an analysis of Israeli Ministry of Health records, infection rates were lower among those who had additional booster shots of the COVID-19 vaccine than those who only had received one. The analysis was conducted for over 1.1 million adults ages 60 years or older.
“Emerging evidence, including data from Kaiser Permanente Southern California, suggests that effectiveness against both symptomatic COVID-19 and severe disease caused by omicron wanes three to six months after receipt of an initial booster (third) dose,” according to Pfizer’s press release. “Thus, additional booster doses may be needed to ensure individuals remain adequately protected.”
Data given to the FDA by Israel suggests that additional doses of the COVID-19 vaccine improve protection against infection and severe disease for individuals 60 years or older. The data from Kaiser Permanente Southern California showing the waning of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine has not been reviewed by the agency, though.
Currently, the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine has already received an EUA from the FDA to provide: a two-dose primary series to people 5 years of age and older; a third primary series dose to people who are 5 years old and above who have been identified to be immunocompromised; a single booster dose to those who are 12 years of age and older who have completed a primary series with Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine or other COVID-19 vaccine; or a single booster dose to those who are 18 years of age and older who have completed primary vaccination with another authorized or approved COVID-19 vaccine.
Pfizer said the vaccine may not protect everyone, and there are specific reasons why someone may not want to get a vaccine due to allergies or previous negative reactions.
