Moderna says its coronavirus vaccine is 93 percent effective six months after full vaccination
By Adela Suliman, Carolyn Y. Johnson, Tyler Pager
and Bryan Pietsch
Today at 4:00 a.m. EDT
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Vaccine maker Moderna said Thursday that protection from its coronavirus shots remained strong – 93 percent effective – six months after full vaccination.
The company also announced that it had tested three potential booster shots, which had demonstrated “robust antibody responses” and topped off immunity, bringing antibodies back to the protective levels triggered by full vaccination.
Pfizer-BioNTech made a similar announcement last week, stating that its vaccine remained 91 percent protective six months after the second dose. Both the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines are based on messenger RNA (mRNA) technology.
“We are pleased that our COVID-19 vaccine is showing durable efficacy," Moderna Chief Executive Stéphane Bancel said in a statement. "But recognize that the Delta variant is a significant new threat so we must remain vigilant.”
Moderna’s vaccine was authorized for emergency use in adults in the United States in December and has since been cleared for emergency or conditional use in adults in more than 50 countries.
The announcement is encouraging news as the United States prepares to welcome back international travelers — when the time is right. A White House official told The Washington Post on Wednesday that the Biden administration is working on a plan to require nearly all incoming foreign travelers to be fully vaccinated against the coronavirus.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2021/08/05/coronavirus-covid-live-updates-us/
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