The nation's top infectious disease expert on May 11 said he expects data to inform how often COVID-19 boosters could be needed to maintain strong protection to be available by mid-summer.
"I think some time in the middle of summer we're going to know what the cadence is going to be about how often we're going to have to vaccinate people," Anthony Fauci, MD, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said during a House Appropriations subcommittee meeting.
"In the era of omicron, it's very clear that a booster is needed," he said. However, studies have shown there is a waning of immunity several months after receiving the third dose, suggesting the need for more routine boosters. Researchers from Oakland, Calif.-based Kaiser Permanente recently found booster protection against hospitalization wanes after three months, falling from about 80 percent to 90 percent to 55 percent.
"You then get an increased risk — particularly among the elderly and among those with underlying conditions — of hospitalizations and death," Dr. Fauci said. People aged 50 and older, as well as those with certain immunocompromising conditions, are eligible for a second booster four months after receiving their first booster. Recommendations for the general population, however, are still in the works.
Pfizer said it is currently focused on developing a COVID-19 vaccine that offers protection for at least one year.