Pfizer: Immunity Can Drop To 83% Within 4 Mos. For Those Who Got Shot, Bolstering Case For Booster

[appalachiablue]

MSN/Business Insider, Aug. 5, 2021. - Ed.

The effectiveness of Pfizer’s COVID-19 shot can drop to 83.7% within 4-6 months after getting the 2nd dose of its vaccine. This is the latest indication that vaccine-induced immunity to the virus can wane and some kind of boost may be necessary in the future.

New research published Wednesday as a preprint indicates that the Pfizer Inc. shot provides 96.2% protection for the first two months, 90.1% effectiveness between the second and fourth months, and 83.7% of protection for the fourth, fifth, and six months.

“We will need a booster 8-12 months from the second dose,” Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said Wednesday, according to a FactSet transcript of the company’s 2nd-quarter earnings call. The drug maker has been making the case for booster shots, citing limited data from its own clinical research and real-world data out of Israel, where Pfizer’s vaccine is the predominant shot in circulation.

“We do see—after 6-8 months—more rapid waning concerning infections and mild to moderate symptoms,” Dr. Mikhail Dolsten, Pfizer’s chief scientific officer, said. “Those are likely entirely, or to a large degree, dependent on antibodies and the drop in titer that we alluded to. If you raise it, you may have a good probability to reverse that waning.” Still, there’s no simple black-and-white answer to whether booster shots are needed at this time. One, there is no definitive data...

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https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/pfizer-says-immunity-can-drop-to-83percent-within-four-months-in-people-who-got-its-covid-19-shot-further-bolstering-the-company-case-for-a-booster/ar-AAMHZHM

[Hugh_Lebowski]

1. One question ... how shitty does one feel after the 3rd shot?

Given that I was wiped out for about 24 hours after shot #2.

I'll still happily get another, to be clear, but I'm just curious.

[JohnSJ]

2. Everyone is different. I had no SE after the first or second from Pfizer vaccine

[Hugh_Lebowski]

3. So ... you have no idea?

Yeah, neither do I

[JohnSJ]

4. Yup, but your question is even more unknown because a third dose hasn't even been approved

[Hugh_Lebowski]

5. Yes ... 'a thing being unknown' is often the basis for what we call 'questions' (nt)

[BigmanPigman]

6. Damn!

I want a booster now.

[Hoyt]

7. It's been clear for a month or so a booster will be necessary.

The fact is, the scientists have only been as good as their latest data.

Understand it, but I’m not sure they’ve been very accurate extrapolating out a few months beyond actual data. Granted, they also have to factor in politics, ignorance, misinformation, etc.

I’ll await the booster announcement, mask up, and follow announcements. But, would like to see CDC, etc., improve their messaging.

[no_hypocrisy]

8. Damn! This month is Month 4.

[Nay]

9. On August 21 I'll be at the 5-month mark, so I hope they'll OK boosters soon. nt

[NH Ethylene]

10. I would like to see more data on this.

Especially considering most people are only about 4 months out from their second shot right now. So the decreasing efficacy Pfizer reports is based on limited data.

And they have a strong motive for overstating the case.

Pfizer is expected to generate $33.5 billion in COVID-19 vaccine revenue this year, and Wall Street analysts have already baked boosters into their financial models for Pfizer and BioNTech SE which developed the vaccine with Pfizer.

[speaktruthtopower]

11. Looks like we're headed for booster shots

I wouldn't be too hard on them, it was an emergency authorization and the long term data will take a while to be collected and analyzed. Of course it is a topic that would be discussed in the earnings call.