Some Parents Reportedly Concerned For Unvaccinated Children To Return To School Amid Current COVID-19 Trends

The New York Times (7/28) reports that while Pfizer said on Wednesday that the efficacy of its two-dose COVID-19 vaccine declines slightly over time, it nonetheless provides “lasting and robust protection against serious disease.” However, Pfizer “suggested that a third shot could improve immunity,” but the Times says that “whether boosters will be widely needed is far from settled,” and the issue is still being debated among scientists.

CNN (7/28) reports Pfizer data – issued Wednesday in the drugmaker’s earnings report – “suggest that antibody levels against the Delta variant in people ages 18 to 55 who receive a third dose of vaccine are greater than five-fold than following a second dose.”

The Hill (7/28) reports that while data show the vaccine’s “efficacy ‘declined gradually’ to 83.7% within six months, with an average decrease of about 6% every two months,” the vaccine’s efficacy “against severe disease including hospitalizations remained high, at 97%.” If the vaccine’s “efficacy continued to decrease at the current rate, it could fall below 50% within 18 months, suggesting that booster shots could be needed.”

The Wall Street Journal (7/28, Subscription Publication) reports that while some nations have authorized booster shots for immunocompromised patients, US physicians and immunologists say its remains unclear whether boosters are needed for the general population.

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