CHARLOTTE, N.C. — COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations continue a sharp decline in the Carolinas, but with possible variants always lurking, could we need some extra protection later on this year?
A second booster may come this fall but it might not be the same as the last time.
Let's connect the dots.
COVID-19 cases could pick up
U.S. health officials say COVID-19 cases could pick up again in the colder months. Scientists are still evaluating whether another dose will be needed, especially for vulnerable populations.
Moderna says a new vaccine is needed
Dr. Paul Burton, Moderna's chief medical officer, told NBC News the world is going to need an updated COVID-19 vaccine. Moderna, as well as Pfizer-BioNTech, could develop a new vaccine formula that targets the highly contagious omicron variant, or perhaps two strains of the coronavirus at the same time.
But no one knows what the predominant variant will be in the coming months, so an update is needed to provide the highest level of protection possible. The current booster shots in use, from both Pfizer and Moderna, are still formulated to target the original strain of COVID-19, which was identified in late 2019.
But just like the flu shot, there's no guarantee that any of the new vaccines under development will work as intended.
WCNC Charlotte is part of seven major media companies and other local institutions reporting on and engaging the community around the problems and solutions as they relate to the COVID-19 pandemic. It is a project of the Charlotte Journalism Collaborative, which is supported by the Local Media Project, an initiative launched by the Solutions Journalism Network with support from the Knight Foundation to strengthen and reinvigorate local media ecosystems. See all of our reporting at charlottejournalism.org.