Dec 20, 2021 - Health

Moderna says booster dose effective against Omicron

Axios

A health care worker preparing a dose of Moderna's coronavirus vaccine in Germany on December. Photo: Frank Rumpenhorst/picture alliance via Getty Images

Moderna said Monday that a booster dose of its COVID-19 vaccine protects against the Omicron variant of the virus more effectively than a two-dose regimen.

Why it matters: Omicron has forced vaccine makers to reassess the effectiveness of their vaccines against this new strain of the coronavirus.

Pfizer and BioNTech also said earlier this month that their booster doses produce stronger immunity against the variant than just two shots.

By the numbers: Moderna said a booster dose of 50 micrograms, roughly half of what is administered during the first two doses, increased the level of antibodies present by roughly 37-fold.

A booster dose of 100 micrograms increased the level of antibodies present by about 83-fold.

What they're saying: "To respond to this highly transmissible variant, Moderna will continue to rapidly advance an Omicron-specific booster candidate into clinical testing in case it becomes necessary in the future," Moderna CEO Stéphane Bancel said in a statement.

Go deeper: The United Kingdom's Omicron warning for America

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Moderna says booster dose effective against Omicron

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