THE Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine is “still effective” against the Omicron variant after three doses, the companies said in a statement today.

A laboratory study found that the vaccine “is still effective in preventing Covid-19, also against Omicron, if it has been administered three times”, but warned that “Omicron is probably not sufficiently neutralised after two doses”.

“A third dose provides a similar level of neutralising antibodies to Omicron as is observed after two doses” for other variants, according to the study.

Pfizer and BioNTech said an Omicron-specific version of the anti-coronavirus vaccine, currently in development by BioNTech, will be available by March.

“Although two vaccine doses may still offer protection against severe disease caused by Omicron, it is clear from these preliminary data that protection is improved with a third vaccine dose,” said Pfizer chief executive Albert Bourla in a statement.

The new study comes after dozens of nations re-imposed border restrictions in response to the spread of the new virus variant and raised the possibility of a return of economically punishing lockdowns.

The detection of the first Omicron cases two weeks ago coincided with jumping case numbers worldwide, and the variant added fuel to concerns about a global Covid-19 resurgence.

The World Health Organization (WHO) said Omicron has been found in 57 countries so far, but the variant has yet to report any related death.

The United States government and WHO scientists said the variant appeared to be no worse than other coronavirus strains this week, but said more research is still necessary. – AFP, December 8, 2021.