Amid Surge In Infections Due To Delta Variant, Pfizer To Seek US FDA Nod For Third Dose Of Its COVID-19 Vaccine

Amid rise in number of cases of Covid-19 virus' Delta variant, United States based pharmaceutical major Pfizer will seek US drug regulator's approval for a third 'booster' dose of its mRNA Covid-19 vaccine.

The development comes as data from a recent study in Israel showed that the efficacy of the Pfizer shot wanes against Delta variant of Coronavirus. The study, however, maintained that the vaccine still protect against severe illness from the highly contagious strain.

The vaccine protected 64 per cent of inoculated people from infection during an outbreak of the Delta variant, down from 94 per cent before, according to Israel’s Health Ministry. It was 94 per cent effective at preventing severe illness in the same period, compared with 97 per cent before, the ministry said, reports Wall Street Journal.

Pfizer reportedly plans to seek the FDA nod for the third booster dose of its Covid-19 vaccine in August.

The US pharma giant on Thursday (8 July) said that a third dose within 12 months could dramatically boost immunity and may help ward off the the delta variant.

According to Pfizer's Dr Mikael Dolsten, early data from the company’s booster study suggests people’s antibody levels jump five- to 10-fold after a third dose, compared to their second dose months earlier.

However, US health officials have said that fully vaccinated Americans don’t need a booster yet.

According to a joint statement by the FDA and CDC, US health agencies “are engaged in a science-based, rigorous process to consider whether or when a booster might be necessary" and any decision on booster shots would happen only when “the science demonstrates that they are needed".