Pfizer Developing Specialized Vaccine Targeting Delta Variant of COVID-19
© REUTERS / Dado Ruvic
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On Monday, the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech became the first vaccine of its kind to receive full approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). US President Joe Biden has since urged leaders in the public and private sector to use the FDA approval to implement vaccine requirements and curb the Delta variant's spread.
While the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine has been granted full FDA approval, Pfizer researchers have not slowed down, and are presently pursuing the development of another vaccine to specifically combat the highly contagious Delta variant, according to Pfizer Chairman and CEO Albert Bourla.
"We are making, right now, a specialized vaccine for Delta," Bourla told "NBC Nightly News" anchor Lester Holt on Monday, speaking of the dominant COVID-19 variant. "I am almost certain that we will not need it because the booster shot of the current vaccine is very, very effective against Delta."
Bourla said that those previously hesitant to take the vaccine should feel more at ease with the FDA fully backing the two-dose shot.
The Pfizer CEO also argued that while there are "serious" side effects, such as lymphadenopathy, they are incredibly rare.
US health officials announced earlier this month that, beginning Sept. 20, vaccinated individuals will be able to begin scheduling appointments for their COVID-19 booster shot.
The new dose should be administered eight months after the individual's second dose, and is expected to enhance immunity, which wears off after approximately six months.
Immunocompromised individuals in the US can already receive their third dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccine.
An enlarged 3D model of a spike protein (blue) connected to an antibody (red) sits on a table in VIB-UGent Center, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, in Ghent, Belgium August 23, 2021
© REUTERS / Bart Biesemans
As the federal government continues to combat the dominant Delta variant, other methods of protection have received emergency approval from the federal government, such as the monoclonal antibody treatments that attack the spike protein of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's leading infectious disease expert, emphasized on Tuesday that the monoclonal antibody treatments developed by the Eli Lilly and Company, Regeneron and GlaxoSmithKline-Vir Biotechnology have been found to reduce one's risk of hospitalization, or death, by 70% to 85%.
Such treatment must be completed prior to one's infection.
