Moderna has released some new findings of its coronavirus vaccine, saying that the vaccine’s protection does not wane after six months, the company said in a statement.
What Moderna said about its COVID-19 vaccine
- Moderna said its COVID-19 vaccine does not lose effectiveness after six months of protection.
- The vaccine developer said it will seek full approval from the Food and Drug Administration for its COVID-19 vaccine.
- Booster shots might be needed to fight off emerging variants, Moderna said.
Does Moderna need COVID-19 booster shots?
Moderna made it clear that booster shots will be necessary in the fall to fight off the delta variant. The findings of the duration of efficacy were discovered before the delta variant became more common in the United States.
- “We believe a dose three of a booster will likely be necessary to keep us as safe as possible through the winter season in the Northern Hemisphere,” Dr. Stephen Hoge, president of Moderna, said during an earnings call when the data was released, according to The New York Times.
What’s next for Moderna?
Moderna CEO Stéphane Bancel said the company is looking to get full approval for its vaccine. And the vaccine booster shots might be needed every year.
- “We have begun preparing late stage studies for our flu vaccine and RSV vaccine, which received fast-track designation from the FDA a few days ago and are looking forward towards our vision of a single dose annual booster that provides protection against COVID-19, flu and RSV for adults,” Bancel said.
However, getting booster shots out to people might be a problem. Earlier this week, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the director-general of the World Health Organization, called for a moratorium on giving out COVID-19 booster shots for at least the next two months, according to NPR.
“We should not accept countries that have already used most of the global supply of vaccines, using even more of it,” he said, per NPR, “while the world’s most vulnerable people remain unprotected.”