US health officials say current vaccine booster shots protect against the Omron variant, and so far there has been no need to develop special shots to protect against it.
Anthony Fauci, who serves as a medical adviser to President Joe Biden, said at a briefing Wednesday that studies so far show a stronger antibody response to current boosters, although protection against Omicron is weaker with just two doses. .
“Our booster vaccine works against Omicron. At this point, there is no need for a type-specific booster,” said Fauci, who also leads the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
The US is urging vaccination and booster shots to protect against Omicron as researchers await more data on its transmissibility, virulence and vaccine theft.
Pfizer Inc., its partner BioNTech SE and rival Moderna Inc. have already begun developing customized booster shots for Omicron. Four-fifths of 43 U.S. omicron infections analyzed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention were in fully vaccinated people, although nearly all cases were relatively mild.
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