Moderna has released a new set of data that it claims to be a clear proof that booster shots are needed to further protect people from getting severely sick with COVID-19.
The pharmaceutical giant has disclosed its recent analysis from its phase three study to the public in support of a wider rollout of booster shots.
In its recent study, Moderna has found that the incidence of breakthrough COVID-19 cases (which affects people with complete shots) was less frequent in a group of trial participants who were more recently treated.
The company said that this finding suggests that the immunity from the virus of the earlier groups are starting to wane.
Moderna also said that there were 88 identified breakthrough cases out of 11,431 people vaccinated between December and March. For the vaccinated people from July to October last year, 162 breakthrough cases were discovered out of 14,746 trial subjects.
Also, there were fewer severe cases of the disease in the group that have been given the vaccine more recently.
On top of these findings, the company also said that there were three COVID-19 related hospitalizations that occurred in the group that got the shots early on, resulting in two unfortunate fatalities. But there were no hospitalizations or deaths in the group that recently received the Moderna vaccine.
"There's a big debate... about whether or not vaccine boosters are going to be necessary into the fall," Moderna President Stephen Hoge, said.
According to Hoge, what makes it really difficult is it's not really about whether the vaccine was effective last month. "It's really about whether it's going to work this winter."
The data that Moderna has released is yet to be peer-reviewed.
The latest analysis of the company came two days before the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) holds an advisory panel meeting whose objective is to discuss whether there is enough proof that booster shots are needed across the U.S.
The Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee is set to discuss if administering third doses of Pfizer and BioNTech's vaccine is really needed.
