After President Joe Biden announced his plans to seek funding for a new COVID vaccine in light of the increasing number of cases in the country, doctors are weighing in on whether another version is necessary. Biden made these remarks during his vacation in Lake Tahoe, stating that he has signed off on a proposal to request additional funding for a new vaccine that is both necessary and effective.
According to the CDC, COVID-related hospitalizations have risen by 21.6% in the past week, and deaths have increased by 21.4%. Although these numbers are still much lower than during the peak of the pandemic, Biden is taking proactive steps to address the situation.
Dr. Marc Siegel, a professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center and a medical contributor for Fox News, expressed uncertainty about what Biden specifically referred to in his comment. He mentioned a new MRNA shot that covers the XBB variant and the rapidly spreading EG.5 subvariant, which will be available in mid-September. However, Siegel stated that there are currently no plans to mandate this vaccine.
According to Siegel, the CDC has informed him that the new vaccine will be targeted towards high-risk groups. He also mentioned the potential benefits of a vaccine that is more universal and covers all variants, or one that creates a nasal barrier. Although these options are being studied, there are no approved versions at this time.
The vaccines currently authorized by the FDA include the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines, both mRNA vaccines, and the Novavax COVID-19 vaccine, a protein subunit vaccine.
Dr. Brett Osborn, a board-certified neurosurgeon in West Palm Beach, Florida, who runs a preventative health care and anti-aging facility called Senolytix, compared COVID to the flu in terms of its frequent mutations. He explained that, similar to the flu, the CDC updates vaccines to protect against flu mutations. Osborn believes that the same logic applies to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID, especially considering that COVID-related deaths currently exceed flu-related deaths. He stated that while an updated vaccine may target specific subvariants more accurately, it should only be administered to at-risk populations.
Osborn believes that the entire population of the United States does not need to be boosted yearly and that immunity can be acquired through natural infection. He mentioned that time usually weakens RNA viruses, reducing the threat. Osborn also expressed concern about government-funded vaccines, describing them as potentially sinister. He compared them to influenza vaccines, which are not government-funded but guided by CDC recommendations and manufactured by independent pharmaceutical companies.
Dr. Edward Liu, infectious diseases section chief at Hackensack Meridian Jersey Shore University Medical Center in New Jersey, acknowledged that the current COVID vaccines are effective in preventing serious illness but do not stop transmission of the virus. He noted that a goal for an improved vaccine would be to stop transmission by producing active antibodies in the nose and respiratory tract. Liu also mentioned the potential for new generations of vaccine technology to reduce side effects and increase vaccination rates.
To prevent the spread of COVID, Osborn recommended following common sense immunologic principles such as frequent hand washing, staying away from others when feeling sick, and notifying elderly or high-risk individuals if you were in contact with them before developing symptoms.
In conclusion, Biden’s plans to seek funding for a new COVID vaccine have garnered various opinions from doctors. While some believe an updated vaccine may be necessary to target specific variants and improve transmission prevention, others argue that the current vaccines are sufficient and should be targeted towards high-risk populations.
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