*Albert Bourla, Chief Executive Officer of Pfizer, declares two doses of the Coronavirus vaccine ‘may still offer protection’ against severe disease caused by Omicron variant, preliminary data indicate that protection is improved with a third dose of our vaccine

*List of 6 top states leading in COVID-19 hospitalisations in the US

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

As the search for a more effective vaccine solution to combat the new Coronavirus (COVID-19) Omicron variant continues, Pfizer and BioNTech have disclosed that  consumers who get a booster of their vaccine are likely protected against the Omicron variant.

ConsumerConnect learnt the two vaccine manufacturers stated that two doses of their vaccine provide less protection in regard to Omicron.

Similarly, researchers found that a third dose of the mRNA vaccine increased antibodies 25-fold, when compared to only two doses, agency report noted.

According to the company officials say it is yet another reason to get a vaccine booster now.

Albert Bourla, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Pfizer, said: “Although two doses of the vaccine may still offer protection against severe disease caused by the Omicron strain, it’s clear from these preliminary data that protection is improved with a third dose of our vaccine.

“Ensuring as many people as possible are fully vaccinated with the first two dose series and a booster remains the best course of action to prevent the spread of COVID-19.”

Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, 3 others lead COVID-19 hospitalisations

Meanwhile, there six states said to be fuelling the surge in COVID-19 hospitalisations in the United States (US) as of now.

Cases of COVID-19 are on the rise across the American country, but the six states account for more than half of the serious cases that require hospitalisation, NBCNews report said.

An analysis of Federal Government data showed Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Pennsylvania, New York, and Illinois lead the nation in hospitalisations.

Twenty-four other states have reported increases in serious cases since early November. Hospitalizations rose from 45,000 a day to 58,000.

Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says even though the Omicron variant continues to be a cause of concern, nearly all of the serious COVID-19 cases reported in recent weeks have been caused by the Delta variant.

Researchers writing in the journal of the American Society for Microbiology also say the combination of infection and vaccination appears to provide a stronger defense against future infections than either one alone.

 

“It shows that antibody quality can improve over time, and not just quantity,” said immunologist and physician Otto Yang, M.D., of the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.

According to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) ‌tally‌‌ ‌‌compiled‌‌ ‌by‌ ‌Johns‌ ‌Hopkins‌ ‌University, the there are a total of  49,410,379 ‌confirmed‌ ‌cases with total 791,705million deaths in the United States as of morning Thursday, December 9, 2021

On the global level, a total‌ ‌global‌ 267,344,049 Coronavirus cases, and total‌ ‌global‌ ‌deaths estimated at 5,275,993.‌