Moderna issued a statement earlier in the week claiming a booster dose of its COVID-19 vaccine raises neutralizing antibodies against the omicron variant; that according to preliminary lab tests.  In that news release, the company said a 50-microgram booster shot of its COVID-19 vaccine increased antibody levels against the variant about 37-fold, compared to the “pre-boost” levels; and a 100-microgram booster increased antibody levels 83-fold.

That study has not yet been published or peer-reviewed.

In the United States the currently approved Moderna booster dose is 50 micrograms, while the first two doses of the vaccine are 100 micrograms each.

That news came less than two weeks after Pfizer and BioNTech stated a third dose of their COVID vaccine appeared to neutralize omicron increasing antibody levels some 25-fold compared to two doses.

(WZQZ Chattooga County Radio/WSBTV/www.wsbtv.com)