out there s a new discussion about a variant specific booster. i think there was delta boosters and beta boosters that were trialed even turned out not to be necessary. is it your impression this is how things are going to be going forward? and also, as you think about that, is there a downside to giving regular boosters, i mean, concerns about people creating autoimmunity, for example? so i think it s just too early to say, as tony said a moment ago, about whether or not we re going to need boosters permanently on a regular basis. what is clear right now is we re in the throws of a pandemic, and the virus continues to mutate and evolve and breakthrough some of our defenses, whether it s vaccine induced or previous infection induced, and so in the face of all that force of infection, that much virus circulating, we do believe it s important that we continue to boost populations because we ve seen the damage that can be wrought when you see break
vaccine induced or previous infection induced, and so in the face of all that force of infection, that much virus circulating, we do believe it s important that we continue to boost populations because we ve seen the damage that can be wrought when you see break through infection s, hospitalizations, and even breakthrough deaths. what we really believe at moderna is we need to continue to advance the best possible booster candidates for public health officials like dr. fauci to have in their hands to deploy if they feel they re necessary. we do hope that at some point, this slows down, that at some point we get through this pandemic, the virus stops mutating, stops circulating as aggressively as it is right now. at that point it s possible the boosters only become something that s necessary for high risk populations, for instance, the elderly. is there a threshold where you would say that s a trigger for a booster? you hear about the vaccines being good to prevent serious illness. wo
vaccine maker moderna says the omicron variant is giving his company kconcern. boosters will provide at least some extent of protection. have a listen. what is clear right now, we re in the throes of a pandemic and the virus continues to mutate and evolve, and breakthrough some of our defenses. whether it s vaccine-induced or previous infection induced. so in the face of all that force of infection, that much virus circulating, we do believe it is important that we continue to boost populations because we have seen the damage that can be wrought when you see breakthrough infections, hospitalizations, even breakthrough death. the president was commenting after the c.e.o. sent stock markets tumbling when he suggested the current vaccines would struggle with omicron. now, more countries around the world are reporting cases of the omicron variant as new infections spike. south africa, where the variant