Recent findings on COVID-19 vaccines indicate a booster of Pfizer-BioNTech's shot increases protection among children ages 5 to 11, and that mRNA vaccines offer extra protection against hospitalization among those previously infected.
The details:
1. Pediatric boosters: Pfizer-BioNTech on April 14 said a booster dose of their COVID-19 vaccine increased the level of neutralizing antibodies against both the original coronavirus strain and the omicron variant among children aged 5 to 11. The findings have not yet been peer reviewed and are based on a Pfizer-led trial of 140 participants.
One month after receiving the booster, children showed a sixfold increase in neutralizing antibody levels against the original coronavirus strain, compared to one month after their second dose. A subanalysis of 30 children indicated a 36-fold increase in antibody levels against omicron after a booster dose. The drugmakers now plan to submit an emergency use authorization request to the FDA for a booster dose in children ages 5-11 "in the coming days."
2. Vaccination and reinfection: The CDC on April 12 released findings indicating Pfizer and Moderna's mRNA COVID-19 vaccines strengthen protection against hospitalization among those previously infected. Researchers used EHR data on thousands of patients to conduct the study. They found vaccine effectiveness against COVID-19-related hospitalization among those previously infected during the omicron-predominant period was about 35 percent after two doses, and 68 percent after a booster dose.
"To prevent COVID-19-associated hospitalization, all eligible persons should stay up to date with vaccination, including those with previous SARS-CoV-2 infection," the report stated.