It has become clear our immunity begins to wane within months of receiving a second Pfizer vaccine shot. CNN Health spoke to Dr. Ann Falsey to get to the facts of the matter. Now Dr. Falsey is a specialist in viral respiratory diseases at University of Rochester School of Medicine. And she is also helping lead COVID vaccine trials. Therefore we can expect to hear the bottom line from her about waning Pfizer immunity.
It Depends On What We Mean by Waning Pfizer Immunity
Dr. Falsey confirms we can expect our immunity to wane over time. However, this is no reason to panic, she says. It’s not a matter of it vanishing in a flash like as if someone flicked a switch. Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson are all standing up well against serious diseases, which the main reason we take them.
We may eventually reach a point when we need a booster to counter waning Pfizer immunity. However, Dr. Falsey believes we are not at that point yet. Sure, we may still catch a breakthrough infection. However, this is likely to be a cold or a flu-like illness, she says. ‘So my main message is, don’t panic,’ she assures. ‘You’re going to be okay.’
Explainer: Our Human Immune System is a Complex Affair
Our immune system has two aspects, Dr. Falsey explains. Our antibodies are in the front line, stopping virus attacks. This is the aspect of vaccine protection that starts to wear off over time.
However, our B cells and T cells developing later provide a longer-lived, broader defense against infection. They are responsible for decreases in severe infections, so we don’t get really sick, end up in the hospital or die.
But this does not mean we can act as if all our worries are over. If we have a breakthrough with minor symptoms, we could still infect a friend or an innocent child seriously. Therefore we should continue taking precautions, even after we have a booster.
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