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Giving a full dose of Moderna's vaccine as a booster shot reportedly provides more antibody protection against Omicron than the currently authorised half-strength injection

This story was first published on July 9, 2021, and updated on December 21, 2021.


US vaccine maker Moderna has said giving a full dose of its Covid-19 vaccine as a booster shot provides more antibody protection against the Omicron variant than currently authorised half-strength injections. The company expressed confidence on Monday (December 20) after the announcement of laboratory results it described as "reassuring", according to several wire reports.

The lab study measured the levels of Omicron-neutralising antibodies in blood samples from 40 people who had low levels of these antibodies before getting the booster. The current recommendation is to give 100 micrograms of the Moderna jab as a first and second dose for protection from Covid-19, followed by a 50-microgram booster. 

Giving a full dose of Moderna's vaccine as a booster shot also provides more antibody protection against Omicron than the currently authorised half-strength injection, according to the announced results.

Antibodies were measured 29 days after booster participants got the third jabs, with half getting a 50 microgram dose and half getting 100 micrograms.

Moderna says preliminary data show antibody response to Omicron at the 50 microgram dose increased 37-fold but when the dose was doubled, antibody levels increased 83-fold.

Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel called the results "reassuring", adding that the company is continuing to develop an Omicron-specific jab with clinical trials for a targeted vaccine likely to begin in early 2022.

It was earlier announced that all eligible individuals aged 30 and above can walk into certain Moderna vaccination centres to receive their booster doses, said the Ministry of Health (MOH) in a statement on October 30.

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To receive the booster jab, individuals will have to be either Singaporeans, permanent residents or long-term visit pass holders aged 30 and above. They will also need to have taken their first two doses of a Pfizer-BioNTech/Comirnaty or Moderna mRNA vaccine at least six months ago, according to MOH. 

MOH added that there is sufficient capacity at the Moderna vaccination centres to accommodate individuals who choose to walk in for their jabs.

These vaccination centres offering the Moderna booster shots are the community clubs at Buona Vista, Hong Kah North, Kebun Baru, Potong Pasir, Punggol 21, Radin Mas, Tampines East, Woodlands and Yew Tee.

This news comes shortly after seniors aged 60 and above as well as residents of aged-care facilities were invited to receive the Covid-19 vaccine booster shots from September 14.

The booster doses will only be for mRNA vaccines that have been authorised under the Health Science’s Authority’s Pandemic Special Access Route (PSAR) for now. These vaccines are Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna.

MOH is also encouraging individuals who are moderate to severely immunocompromised and who have been fully vaccinated to get a booster shot two months after their second dose. 

“However, they should consult their treating specialist, who would have the best understanding of their medical condition, prior to receiving their third dose,” said MOH. 

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This comes after MOH and the Expert Committee on Covid-19 Vaccination reviewed all available evidence and studied the safety and efficacy of the booster shots that have been administered globally. 

MOH explained in September that since seniors are at a higher risk of a severe form of the Covid-19 infection and may develop a lower immune response from their two-dose vaccination regimen, they should be the first to get booster shots. As time goes on, more people will become eligible for the shots. 

Currently, it is recommended that individuals get a booster dose of an mRNA vaccine about six to nine months after they complete the second of their two doses. 

This is to “ensure higher levels of protection from infection and continued high levels of protection against severe disease, and reduce the possibility of spikes in infections and more people falling severely ill”, said MOH.

If you are below 30, you might be wondering when and if you will actually need a booster shot. Keep reading to find out everything you need to know.

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Why do I need a booster shot?

Currently, Pfizer and Moderna have said people may need a third dose after a few months or even a periodic booster shot in order to maintain their immunity. 

This is because the virus has been mutating, which means that booster shots that have been updated with protection against the new variants are important. You can think of it much like how our regular flu vaccines are constantly being updated. 

Additionally, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said on September 3 that with the new variants, there have been more breakthrough infections despite vaccinations and that the strength of the protection can decrease over time as the antibodies wear off.

How will we know if this is needed for the rest of the population?

It is first necessary to determine how long the antibodies against Covid-19 will last when an individual is vaccinated. This is in addition to finding out how well these memory cells are able to be preserved in our bodies. 

This will give us a good indication as to when there is a need to boost someone’s immunity. 

Right now, the government is operating on the information that it has available. Of course, this is also dependent on any new variants that may emerge and what their impact may be.

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Will everyone need a booster shot?

Currently, the priority in Singapore and around the world is to get as many people as possible vaccinated. As of October 30, 84 per cent of the population has already been fully vaccinated. 

This means that booster shots are only a priority for seniors, the immunocompromised and those aged 30 and above who were fully vaccinated at least six months ago.

Furthermore, since it is recommended that individuals should get a booster dose of an mRNA vaccine about six to nine months after they complete the second of their two doses, the majority of the population are not yet eligible.

Will I still be considered vaccinated if I do not take a booster shot?

As long as you have completed both doses of the Covid-19 vaccine and waited two weeks for it to become effective, you will be considered fully vaccinated despite the booster shots, said Mr Ong. 

Will I be told when I am eligible?

As the government begins to roll out booster shots, we will get more information on when they will be available for the majority of the population.

For now, only those aged 30 and above and residents of aged-care facilities can book their slots from September 14.

Migrant workers in dormitories, as well as non-dormitory dwelling migrant workers who are work-permit holders in the construction, marine, processing sector, will have their booster shots scheduled by the Ministry of Manpower, according to MOH.

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