Pfizer Says COVID Booster Offers Protection Against Omicron

Associated PressUpdated: December 8, 2021

NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 08: Jane Hudson from Hedley on the Hill attends the Centre for Life Vaccination Centre to receive her Covid-19 booster on December 08, 2021 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. The Centre for Life vaccination centre was one of the first such large-scale sites opened in the country as the UK rolled out its Covid-19 vaccine programme. The site initially welcomed NHS workers before opening to the public in January. (Photo by Ian Forsyth/Getty Images)

By LAURAN NEERGAARD, AP Medical Writer

Pfizer says a booster dose of its COVID-19 vaccine may protect against the new omicron variant.

Pfizer and its partner BioNTech tested how well vaccine-produced antibodies could neutralize omicron in lab dishes.

They found significant weakening after the standard two doses. But a booster dose increased antibody levels by 25-fold.

The companies said two doses still may protect against severe illness, but they are working to develop an omicon-specific vaccine in case it's needed.

They announced the findings Wednesday in a press release. The data is preliminary and hasn't undergone scientific review.

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The host of Fox Across America with Jimmy Failla which airs coast to coast and on WIBX 950 and 106.9 FM weekdays from noon 'til 3, was in Utica this past weekend. Jimmy Failla sat in on the Keeler in the Morning Show on Friday morning December 3, 2021, and then did his national show on FOX News Radio from WIBX's studio.

Failla is a former New York City cab driver turned stand up comic and over the weekend, he performed 4 sell-out shows at Utica's Fat Katz Comedy Club in Washington Mills.

Check out some snap shots from the weekend.