Delta's surging and antibodies are waning: What to know about when we'll need COVID-19 booster shots

So much of the pandemic has boiled down to problems of reacting rather than anticipating and preventing. Signs are emerging that protection is waning, and a booster shot holds the promise of patching up immunity. Why not try to maximize protection with the tools available?Dr. Paul A. Offit speaks during a news conference in Philadelphia.Dr. Paul Offit, a longtime vaccine developer who sits on the FDA's vaccine advisory committee, says it's not yet time for booster shots.

That's because the objective of these vaccines is not to prevent every infection. Instead, the aim is to prevent people from being hospitalized with COVID-19 or dying. They're still doing that extraordinarily well, Offit said.Take the Mayo Clinic study .in July has drawn attention, the same study found that its effectiveness at preventing the worst COVID-19 outcomes held up.Pfizer's shot was 75% effective at preventing hospitalizations, roughly in line with previous month.

"It's still not really, really clear by the data if it's advantageous to get a third boost now if you're a normal, healthy person with a normal immune response," Bottazzi said."We're still seeing great protection by the vaccines against the Delta variant.", which drew headlines because most of the people infected were also fully vaccinated.

Finally, giving boosters overlooks the far more pressing issue of getting more people vaccinated, Offit and Bottazzi said.until at least the end of September so other countries can get more of their populations immunized. "I would rather see more people get protected against severe disease and deaths and hospitalizations, even if we all have breakthrough infections because that's what's going to stop this virus from continuing to mutate," Bottazzi said.Sign up for notifications from Insider! Stay up to date with what you want to know.

Delta & boosters. Impeccable timing.

Nope

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