Bivalent booster is 4x better against BA.5 in older adults, Pfizer says
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The new bivalent COVID-19 booster spurred neutralizing antibody levels that were fourfold higher against the omicron subvariants BA.4/BA.5 in older adults than those seen after the original booster, Pfizer reported Friday.
The new data may help calm concerns about whether the updated booster is an improvement over the previous booster. But the fall booster campaign-aimed at preventing another devastating winter wave-still faces considerable challenges. For one thing, a shockingly low number of Americans are rolling up their sleeves to get the shot.
Better boostExperts all agree that the new booster shot, like the old one, will revive waning immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 and provide strong protection from severe COVID-19. But some experts have expressed skepticism about whether the updated bivalent booster-which in part targets omicron subvariants BA.4/BA.5-will offer a clinically meaningful advantage over the previous booster in preventing mild infections against the subvariant.