Moderna Covid vaccine efficacy remains barely unchanged at 93% six months after 2nd dose, company says

Biotech firm Moderna says its Covid-19 vaccine remains 93% effective six months after the second dose, with the efficacy of the mRNA vaccine barely dipping from the 94.5% cited during the clinical trial stage.

Moderna CEO Stéphane Bancel shared an update on the vaccine in a statement released on Thursday, noting that it “is showing durable efficacy of 93% through six months.” However, Bancel acknowledged that the highly contagious Delta variant of the virus “is a significant new threat so we must remain vigilant.”

The reported efficacy of 93% six months post the second shot of the two-dose vaccine comes as a win for Moderna, as the inoculation’s protective capability appears to have barely waned. The company had previously found during its phase 3 clinical trials that the vaccine offered 94.5% protection.

While the recent figures look promising, the company said a booster shot will be needed ahead of winter to maximize vaccine protection.

Meanwhile, the mRNA Covid vaccine co-produced by BioNTech and pharmaceutical giant Pfizer has found that its efficacy falls every two months by 6%, offering around 84% protection at the six-month mark after the second dose.

Pfizer/BioNTech has been trying to rally support from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to include a booster shot in America’s vaccine program. The two organizations issued a joint statement on July 8 saying that a third shot was not currently necessary, but this could be subject to change as more countries, such as Israel, are offering Pfizer booster shots following general fears of waning vaccine efficacy and Covid variants.

The World Health Organization, however, has this week called on governments around the globe to hold off on administering boosters until a minimum percentage of populations worldwide have received their initial shots.

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