People who were infected with the novel coronavirus only need a single dose of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine, according to new studies released from Britain.
What’s going on?
The New York Times reports that two studies published in The Lancet, a prominent medical journal, found that a single dose of the Pfizer vaccine offers enough protection against the coronavirus for those who have had COVID-19.
- One of the studies — done by the University College London and Public Health England — followed 51 health workers in London who submitted results of antibody tests. About half had been infected with COVID-19. Those who got a single dose of Pfizer’s vaccine had a more than 140-fold protection against the virus.
- The second study — published from Imperial College London — followed 72 health workers who got the vaccine in December 2020. One dose of the Pfizer vaccine created a strong antibody response as well.
Why it matters
Researchers from the University College London and Public Health England suggested that the new studies mean the COVID-19 vaccine rollout could move quickly if this is the case, according to The New York Times.
- “This could potentially accelerate vaccine rollout,” the researchers said.
- “Wider coverage without compromising vaccine-induced immunity could help reduce variant emergence,” the researchers said, according to The New York Times.
A third shot?
The COVID-19 vaccine developer Pfizer said it is working on a third shot to defeat the novel coronavirus variants, as I wrote about for the Deseret News. Right now, experts still advise everyone gets both doses of Pfizer and Moderna shots to have full protection against the coronavirus.