One Triad doctor said booster shots against COVID-19 will likely be needed, but the latest information shows vaccines could be highly effective for months.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Triad doctors are welcoming the latest news from Pfizer that its COVID-19 vaccine is more than 90% effective for up to 6 months after the second dose.
Wake Forest Baptist Health Chief of Infectious Diseases Dr. John Sanders said while trials are still ongoing and doctors are still learning more about the vaccines, it's great news.
"I think it’s a great sign. We see frankly minimal decline at 6 months of great protective efficacy," he said.
Sanders said although Moderna hasn't released the same data for the same length of time just yet, he expects it to be similar.
"We would expect that the Moderna vaccine numbers will be pretty similar to the Pfizer numbers because the vaccine constructs, the way they're built are so similar," he said.
Sanders said information about the Moderna vaccine released just weeks ago showed high efficacy of the vaccine three months after the second dose.
"The older we are when we get the vaccine the less likely we are to fully respond and the more likely we are to see declining immunity but their numbers overall for all age groups are very good," said Sanders,
Sanders said they're still waiting to see what kind of data Johnson & Johnson releases pertaining to how long its vaccine is highly effective.
"Their construct is a little bit different because they went with the strategy of just one shot so we might expect that their decline could be faster than the other two but I'm really just guessing. We won't know until we know," said Sanders.
Sanders said it's likely those vaccinated will need boosters at some point.
"Whether it's annual boosters like the flu shot or every ten years like the tetanus shot, I'm not sure yet. My guess is based on the trend lines of this immunity that we probably won't need it every year and in fact, my real guess is it's going to be a stratified booster," said Sanders.
That means, according to Sanders, the older you are, the sooner you might need a booster shot.
But still, doctors and scientists are still learning a lot about vaccines through trials. Some of those trials are happening right here in the Triad.
"Those volunteers are still coming in and that’s how we’re getting this information about how long does it protect you," said Sanders.
Wake Forest Baptist Health has lead trials in the Triad for all three of the vaccines available in the United States.
"I had a volunteer in the Moderna trial say the other day, 'Do I need a booster? When will I know I need a booster?' And I had to remind him that, 'Well, the rest of us know we'll need boosters when you get sick because you volunteered to be the first and you’re helping us figure out exactly how long that immunity lasts and how protective that is,' So we’re very grateful," said Sanders.
Sanders said some of the trials can last anywhere from 1 to 2 years.
April 01, 2021 at 11:40PM
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Triad doctor says COVID-19 vaccine booster shots are likely, but scientists are still studying when a booster might be needed - WFMYNews2.com
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