Eric Topol, MD Director & Founder, Scripps Research Translational Institute, discusses the evidence that has accumulated on the bivalent boosters. He asserts that “The bivalent booster impact of broadening our immune response has exceeded expectations.”
This is great news. See the link below for his full article that includes descriptions of some of the cumulative body of evidence supporting the assertion that “the bivalent vaccine booster outperforms”. I have excerpted some of his key statements.
“…we now have extensive data that is quite encouraging—better and broader than expected …. ” (recent studies)
“While the clinical benefit of reduced hospitalizations and deaths is best seen in the high risk population of age 65 and older, there is certainly evidence for benefit across all adults, ….” (discussing the data that shows a benefit not just for older adults but a reduction in hospitalization, ER and urgent care visits for all adults)
“The spike protein of the BA.5 bivalent (vaccine) more closely resembles XBB.1.5 than the Wuhan ancestral spike. The lab studies with live virus assays are strongly supportive. The clinical data are unequivocal.” (discussing why the bivalent vaccine should work better against the XBB.1.5 subvariant that is becoming dominant)
“The Bottom Line: Bivalent boosters work well to prevent severe Covid, as manifest by reduction of hospitalizations and deaths.”
“The bivalent booster impact of broadening our immune response has exceeded expectations.”
“The bivalent vaccine booster outperforms”
A review of the cumulative body of evidence
Eric Topol, MD is a Professor of Molecular Medicine at Scripps Research. He is the Director & Founder of the Scripps Research Translational Institute in the Department of Molecular Medicine.
Scripps Research, previously known as The Scripps Research Institute is a nonprofit medical research facility that focuses on research and education in the biomedical sciences. Headquartered in San Diego, California, the institute has over 170 laboratories employing 2,100 scientists, technicians, graduate students, and other staff, making it the largest private, non-profit biomedical research organization in the United States and among the largest in the world.
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