The COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE has proven less effective against the new Omicron variant of the virus in an early trial conducted in South Africa.
The immune protection against the mutated strain has reduced by around 40% in double-vaccinated individuals when compared to the protection against the original variant. The defence is still “robust, but not complete,” researchers at the Africa Health Research Institute found.
“A good booster probably would decrease your chance of infection, especially severe infection leading to more severe disease,” the nation’s expert virologist, Professor Alex Sigal, said, adding, “People who haven’t had a booster should get one, and people who have been previously infected should be vaccinated.”
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