Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
MRNA Vaccines Found To Give Best Protection As Boosters
COVID-19 vaccines made by Pfizer (PFE.N) and Moderna (MRNA.O) that use mRNA technology provide the biggest boost to antibody levels when given 10-12 weeks after the second dose, a British study published on Thursday has found. The "COV-Boost" study was cited by British officials when they announced that Pfizer and Moderna were preferred for use in the country's booster campaign, but the data has only been made publicly available now. (Smout, 12/3)
A U.K. study testing seven different Covid-19 vaccines as booster doses found most of them increased antibodies, with shots from Moderna Inc. and the Pfizer Inc.-BioNTech SE partnership performing best. The results, published Thursday, tested the vaccines in more than 2,800 volunteers 30 and older who had already received two doses of the AstraZeneca Plc or Pfizer shots. All seven vaccines boosted immunity after the Astra vaccine, compared with a placebo, while six raised antibody levels after Pfizer, the study found. (Ring and Anghel, 12/2)
Six different Covid-19 vaccines are safe and effective when used as booster doses, a U.K. study has found. The peer-reviewed phase 2 trial, published Thursday in The Lancet medical journal, looked at the safety and efficacy of seven vaccines given after two initial doses of either the Oxford-AstraZeneca or Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. Vaccines included in the study were those produced by Oxford-AstraZeneca, Pfizer-BioNTech, Novavax, Johnson & Johnson, Moderna, Valneva and Curevac. (Taylor, 12/2)
In the first head-to-head comparison of the Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, Moderna edged out its competition with a 21% lower risk of infection and a 41% lower risk of hospitalization over 24 weeks, according to a study yesterday in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM). A team led by researchers from Harvard University and the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) analyzed the electronic medical records of veterans nationwide, almost all of whom received two doses of either the Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine from Jan 4 to May 14, 2021. The study period was dominated by the SARS-CoV-2 Alpha (B117) variant. (Van Beusekom, 12/2)
On how T-cells in vaccines work —
Omicron is officially in the United States — and the country’s approved Covid vaccines could already contain a key to fighting it. On Wednesday, public health officials confirmed the country’s first known case of Covid’s omicron variant, detected in California. The individual, who is fully vaccinated but not boosted, traveled from South Africa to San Francisco on Nov. 22 and tested positive on Nov. 29. The person has mild symptoms that appear to be improving, and none of their close contacts have tested positive so far, White House chief medical advisor Dr. Anthony Fauci said in a briefing Wednesday. (Stieg, 12/2)
