Boston doctor with latest on updated COVID-19 boosters targeting newest variants
Boston doctor with latest on updated COVID-19 boosters targeting newest variants
Updated: 6:03 PM EDT Aug 31, 2022
ERIKA: TODAY, THE FDA GAVE THE GREEN LIGHT TO THE FIRST BIG OVERHAUL OF COVID VACCINES SINCE THE PANDEMIC HIT. BEN: THEIR JOB IS TO REALLY TARGET THOSE OMICRON SUBVARIANTS THAT HAVE CAUSED THE PANDEMIC TO LINGER. HERE FOR A CLOSER LOOK IS DR. DANIEL KURITZKES, AN INFECTIOUS DISEASE SPECIALIST AT BRIGHAM & WOMEN’S HOSPITAL. DR. KURITZKES, THANKS FOR BEING HERE. GOOD TO SEE YOU. >> GOOD TO SEE YOU. ERIKA: GREAT TO SEE YOU. LET’S START WITH WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT THESE NEW SHOTS, DO WE HAVE A SENSE OF HOW EFFECTIVE THEY ARE? >> WE KNOW THESE NEW SHOTS WILL COMBINE THE ORIGINAL VACCINE, ALONG WITH A VACCINE THAT IS DIRECTED AGAINST THE MOST RECENT OMICRON VARIANT, BA FIVE. WE DO NOT HAVE EFFICACY DATA, BUT THE EXPECTATION IS THESE NEW VACCINES WILL BE BETTER AT GENERATING ANTIBODIES THAT ARE SPECIFIC FOR BA FIVE, THE CURRENTLY CIRCULATING VARIANT OF OMICRON. BEN: WE HAVE DISCUSSED AS BEFORE, AND IT DOES OFTEN FEEL LIKE BY THE TIME WE GET TO A NEW BOOSTER OR VACCINE, THE VIRUS IS ALREADY ON TO THE NEXT MUTATION. MAYBE NOT THIS TIME AROUND, SO WHAT WOULD YOU TELL FOLKS ABOUT WHY THEY SHOULD GET THE NEW SHOTS? >> TWO REASONS. ONE ESPECIALLY FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN BOOSTED SOME TIME AGO. WE KNOW THAT IMMUNITY HAS WANED OVER TIME, SO IT WOULD BE GOOD TO RESTORE YOUR IMMUNITY BY BOOSTING IT NOW, AND IF YOU GET BOOSTED, GET BOOSTED WITH THE BOOSTER THAT CONTAINS THE ORIGINAL VACCINE IN THE NEWER VACCINE, SO YOU ARE BEST EQUIPPED TO HANDLE THE CURRENTLY CIRCULATING VARIANTS. ERIKA: THE PFIZER SHOT WOULD BE FOR PEOPLE AS YOUNG AS 12. MODERNA FOR THOSE 18 AND OLDER. SHOULD EVERYONE BE GETTING THEIRS AS SOON AS THEY’RE ELIGIBLE? WHAT IF THEY’VE GOTTEN THEIR SECOND BOOSTER ALREADY? >> I THINK WE WILL SEE SPECIFIC GUIDANCE FROM THE ADVISORY KITTY ON — COMMITTEE ON IMMUNIZATION PRACTICES. I WANT TO WAIT AND SEE WHAT THEY SAY, BUT IN GENERAL, I THINK PEOPLE SHOULD GET BOOSTED WHEN THE VACCINE BECOMES AVAILABLE SO LONG AS IT HAS BEEN MORE THAN TWO MONTHS SINCE THEIR LAST BOOSTER, AND CERTAINLY IF IT’S BEEN MORE THAN A FEW MONTHS, THEY SHOULD GET VACCINATED AGAIN. BE
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Boston doctor with latest on updated COVID-19 boosters targeting newest variants
Updated: 6:03 PM EDT Aug 31, 2022
On Wednesday, the FDA gave the green light to the first big overhaul of COVID-19 vaccines since the pandemic hit.
On Wednesday, the FDA gave the green light to the first big overhaul of COVID-19 vaccines since the pandemic hit.
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