Dr. Larry Corey with Fred Hutch, one of the world’s top doctors in vaccine research, breaks down what we need to know about COVID-19 vaccine booster shots and what it would take to see a ‘return to normalcy.’
During Thursday’s live interview Corey said he is “confident” a third, booster dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine is safe.
“We have lots of data on that,” said Corey. “And I’m confident that the third dose raises your immunity to essentially a log tenfold higher than when it was after the second dose. So, when you look at that, that it’s safe, gives you very high levels of immunity, higher levels of immunity are associated with higher protection.”
Corey added that “active discussions” are being made about a booster dose for people who received the one-shot Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccine.
“I just had a long discussion with the leadership of Johnson and Johnson yesterday,” explained Corey. “So, there is a feeling here that they also have data that’s showing that a second dose gives a very nice boost.”
When asked what worried him now right now, Corey said, “this is still an epidemic of the unvaccinated.”
“[COVID-19 is] a preventable disease,” Corey said. “You do not have to not be vaccinated, or if you get vaccinated, you will not be in the hospital. So, to the people who are unvaccinated, I guess I’m saying to you, this is a strain that is more infectious, more rapidly disseminates in the body.”