Moderna says updated COVID shot boosts omicron protection

Moderna's experimental COVID-19 vaccine that combines its original shot with protection against the omicron variant appears to work, the company announced Wednesday.

COVID-19 vaccine makers are studying updated boosters that might be offered in the fall to better protect people against future coronavirus surges.

Moderna's preliminary study results show people given the combination shot experienced a higher boost in omicron-fighting antibodies than if they just got a fourth dose of the original vaccine.

“We believe strongly that this data supports an update of the vaccine,” Dr Stephen Hoge, Moderna's president, said Wednesday.

Today's COVID-19 vaccines all are based on the original version of the coronavirus.

They're still providing strong protection against severe disease, hospitalisation and death even after the appearance of the super-contagious omicron variant -- especially if people have had an initial booster dose.

But the virus continues to mutate rapidly in ways that let it evade some of the vaccines' protections and cause milder infections.

So United States regulators, and the World Health Organization, are considering whether to order a change in the vaccine recipe for a new round of booster shots in the fall -- when cold weather and kids returning to school are expected to drive yet another surge.

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