Veccination control omicron

  American drugmaker  Moderna  said Monday that a third dose of its COVID-19 vaccine should protect against the  omicron  version of the new...

 American drugmaker Moderna said Monday that a third dose of its COVID-19 vaccine should protect against the omicron version of the new Coronavirus. Moderna said laboratory tests showed it's half dose booster shot increased the level of antibodies able to fight omicron by 37 times. A full dose booster had an even stronger effect. The company said it gave at three times the antibody levels. Half dose shots are being used for most Moderna boosters. But a full dose third shot has been advised for people with weakened immune systems. Moderna early results have not yet been carefully examined by other scientists, but testing by the US National Institutes of Health found a similar increase in antibody levels. Another American company, Pfizer said testing found its COVID-19 vaccine led to a big increase in omicron Fighting antibodies. Pfizer and its German partner beyond tech said this month that early lab tests showed its full strength booster increased levels of antibodies by 25-fold. The vaccines made by Pfizer and by Moderna are both made with messenger RNA technology. The shots are used by many countries around the world to fight the pandemic. Health officials are advising people to get booster injections as soon as possible. Antibody levels predict how well a vaccine may prevent infection with Coronavirus. However, they are just one part of the immune system's defenses. Other research suggests the vaccine should offer good protection against severe disease. This should be the case even if a fully vaccinated person gets what is known as a breakthrough infection. Both Madera and Pfizer are developing shots to better deal with the omicron variant, in case they are needed. Pfizer also recently said its experimental pill to treat COVID-19 appears to work well against the omicron version. Omicron was first found in Southern Africa on November 9 and reported to the World Health Organization on November 24. Two days later, the WHO designated it a variant of concern.