Overnight Health Care: Pfizer booster may be crucial against omicron

Welcome to Wednesday’s Overnight Health Care, where we’re following the latest moves on policy and news affecting your health. Subscribe here: thehill.com/newsletter-signup.

Santa Claus is “good to go” and “even more protected” against COVID-19 after receiving his booster shot this year, Anthony FauciAnthony FauciOvernight Health Care — Biden mandate faces Dem resistance First study of omicron shows Pfizer vaccine may be less effective Edie Falco join PETA in pitching animal experimentation reforms MORE told USA Today.

Preliminary data from Pfizer shows a third dose of the company’s COVID-19 vaccine gives enough of an increase in neutralizing antibodies that it seems to block the omicron variant— though two doses may still protect against severe disease. 

For The Hill, we’re Peter Sullivan (psullivan@thehill.com), Nathaniel Weixel (nweixel@thehill.com) and Justine Coleman (jcoleman@thehill.com). Write to us with tips and feedback, and follow us on Twitter: @PeterSullivan4, @NateWeixel and @JustineColeman8.

Let’s get started.

Pfizer booster protects against new variant 

Pfizer and BioNTech announced Wednesday that their coronavirus vaccine appears to provide strong protection against the omicron variant when a booster is received in addition to its initial two doses.

The companies said preliminary studies show three doses of the vaccine neutralize the omicron variant.

“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,” Albert Bourla, chairman and chief executive officer of Pfizer, said.

“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,” he added.

Those who have only two doses of the vaccine experienced a “more than a 25-fold reduction” in the “neutralization titers” that are produced by vaccines to help fight off a COVID-19 infection, the companies said.

It added that a “vast majority” of vaccine-induced T-cells are not compromised by the more than 30 different mutations in omicron, showing some protection is still given by the first two doses of the vaccine.

Reactions: President BidenJoe BidenHouse passes 8B defense policy bill House approves bill to ease passage of debt limit hike Senate rejects attempt to block Biden’s Saudi arms sale MORE highlighted the news as “encouraging” and it said it reinforces the need to get a booster shot. 

A question: Baylor professor Peter Hotez pointed to data from Germany that a third dose’s protection might not be durable, saying he wanted to hear from the CDC and FDA on the issue. 

Read more here. 

FAUCI: ‘WHEN, NOT IF’

Anthony Fauci said Wednesday he thinks the definition of being fully vaccinated will eventually change to include a booster, especially as new evidence is emerging that a booster dose offers the best protection against the omicron variant.

“Right now, I don’t see that changing tomorrow or next week,” Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, said in an…