Story at a glance
- Fauci said studies suggest those who had previously been infected with COVID-19 had a more robust immune response against variants first identified in the U.K. and South Africa.
- Fauci noted that the studies were only laboratory data and had been proven in a clinic.
- “We need to get vaccinated because vaccines are highly efficacious. They are better than the traditional response you get from natural infection,” he added.
The nation’s top infectious diseases expert says people previously infected with the coronavirus who have been vaccinated may have a greater protection against COVID-19 variants.
During a news briefing Wednesday, White House chief medical officer Anthony Fauci referred to several recent studies suggesting those who had previously been infected with COVID-19 had a more robust immune response against variants first identified in the U.K. and South Africa compared to vaccinated individuals who had never been infected.
Our country is in a historic fight against the Coronavirus. Add Changing America to your Facebook or Twitter feed to stay on top of the news.
“After one dose of the Pfizer mRNA, people who had been previously infected actually showed enhanced both T-cell immunity as well as neutralizing antibodies not only against the wild type, but…you even get some spillover of infection against variants,” Fauci said.
“If you look at this slide — again, antibody response for people who were previously infected — and then boost it with two doses of mRNA, you had interesting increased protection against the variants of concern,” he explained.
Fauci noted that the studies were only laboratory data and had been proven in a clinic.
“We need to get vaccinated because vaccines are highly efficacious. They are better than the traditional response you get from natural infection,” he added.
Fauci’s comments come one day after President Biden announced a goal to administer at least one shot of the coronavirus vaccine to 70 percent of U.S. adults by July 4 amid a slowdown in the pace of vaccinations.
The average number of shots per day has been dropping in recent weeks.
READ MORE STORIES FROM CHANGING AMERICA
COVID-RECOVERED PEOPLE MAY ONLY NEED ONE DOSE OF PFIZER OR MODERNA VACCINES
CDC GIVES NEW MASK GUIDANCE FOR OUTDOORS AND INDOORS
CDC INVESTIGATING NEW REPORTS OF BLOOD CLOT CASES LINKED TO J&J VACCINE
PFIZER-BIONTECH BOOSTER LIKELY NEEDED AS IMMUNITY WANES, SAYS SCIENTIST WHO HELPED DEVELOP VACCINE
changing america copyright.
