Pfizer and BioNTech said they would seek approval for a third dosage of their Covid-19 vaccine to increase its efficacy, as the Delta form has caused disastrous epidemics across Asia, notably in Thailand, where new restrictions were announced on Friday.
With the epidemic striking havoc once again, Japan prohibited spectators from most Olympic events and declared Tokyo a viral emergency for the duration of the Games, only two weeks before the opening ceremony.
The highly transmissible Delta form, which was initially discovered in India, is sweeping the globe as countries rush to vaccinate their populations in order to prevent new outbreaks.
Pfizer and BioNTech said on Thursday that they believe a third dose to be effective against the strain and that they will seek approval in the US, Europe, and other locations in the coming weeks.
According to a release, preliminary findings from a continuing experiment revealed that a third shot raised antibody levels five to ten times higher against the original coronavirus strain and the Beta version, which was first discovered in South Africa, compared to the first two doses alone.
The businesses predicted similar outcomes for Delta but said that they were working on a vaccine specifically designed to combat the lethal strain.
The news came as Thailand battled a new epidemic on its coasts, leading officials to impose new restrictions such as a curfew in Bangkok from 9:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m. and a ban on non-essential travel across the country, which is often overrun by tourists at this time of year.
“This will effectively promote disease control. Thailand will come out on top “Apisamai Srirangson, the government’s coronavirus taskforce’s assistant spokeswoman, said
