Pfizer reveals how well its booster shot really works against COVID-19

The booster shot from the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is 95.6% effective at stopping coronavirus infection, according to a new study released Thursday by the companies.

• The study — which reviewed more than 10,000 people 16 years old and up — reviewed how well the vaccine’s booster shot protected people. This was the first major study to review the effectiveness of booster vaccines.

For the study, participants either received a booster shot or a placebo.

• There were five cases of coronavirus infection among the booster shot recipients. However, there were 109 cases among those who received the placebo.

Pfizer said the study was done when the delta variant was “the prevalent strain” in the world, showing that the booster was highly effective despite a highly transmissible variant circling through our population.

The Food and Drug Administration granted emergency use authorization for the Pfizer vaccine already. On Wednesday, the FDA also authorized COVID-19 booster shots from Moderna and Johnson & Johnson, too, as the Deseret News reported.

In addition, the FDA said people can “mix-and-match” booster shots — meaning you don’t have to get the same vaccine dose you received before for your booster.

• “As the pandemic continues to impact the country, science has shown that vaccination continues to be the safest and most effective way to prevent COVID-19, including the most serious consequences of the disease, such as hospitalization and death,” acting FDA Commissioner Janet Woodcock said in a statement. “The available data suggest waning immunity in some populations who are fully vaccinated. The availability of these authorized boosters is important for continued protection against COVID-19 disease.”