Good Day BIO: The vaccines work—if people get them

Several studies show the COVID-19 vaccines work—and work really well. But there’s a catch: not enough people are getting them to combat impending surges and new variants.

The mRNA vaccines provide a “persistent” and “robust” immune response that could last for years,according to a study published in Nature yesterday. 

“The results suggest that a vast majority of vaccinated people will be protected over the long term—at least, against the existing coronavirus variants,”says The New York Times. “But older adults, people with weak immune systems and those who take drugs that suppress immunity may need boosters; people who survived COVID-19 and were later immunized may never need them at all.” 

“Mixing and matching” is promising, too,says another study published yesterday by Oxford University. 

A dose of Oxford-AstraZeneca followed by a dose of Pfizer-BioNTech “induced high concentrations of antibodies,” which could “add much-needed flexibility to vaccination programs around the world,” says CNBC. They’ll study mixing Moderna and Novavax next. 

But: “Exactly how long the protection from mRNA vaccines will last is hard to predict. In the absence of variants that sidestep immunity, in theory immunity could last a lifetime,” explains The New York Times. “But the virus is clearly evolving.” 

The challenge now: getting enough shots in arms to combat surges and new variants. Vaccination rates have slowed in the United States, particularly in pockets of the South and Midwest and among younger adults, reports Axios. 

Addressing vaccine hesitancy and access remain priorities for BIO—and why we continue our communications and advocacy work to promote the safety and efficacy of vaccines in the United States, as well as the need to share vaccines globally. 

Visit www.COVIDVaccineFacts.org to get answers to your questions about the COVID-19 vaccines.

More Health Care News: 

CMS: CMS Announces Director of Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services
“[Daniel] Tsai will lead the Center’s efforts in addressing disparities in health equity and serving the needs of children, pregnant people, parents, seniors, and individuals with disabilities who rely on these essential programs.”

The western United States is experiencing one of its worst droughts in modern history—and this will have a detrimental impact on farmers and agriculture. But biotechnology offers solutions to reduce water use in agriculture and ensure crops can thrive, says Innovature.

The climate has changed. “Scientists fear that we're entering a megadrought that could last decades,” says Innovature. 

But gene editing offers a potential solution—allowing plant scientists to alter crops to help them thrive in the face of hotter conditions or less water. 

Watch: Nobel Laureate Dr. Jennifer Doudna explains CRISPR for plant breeding

Here’s how: “Researchers at the University of Illinois have showed that by altering the expression of a single gene, they could produce a model crop that uses water 25 percent more efficiently with no loss of yield. The technique shows promise for numerous food crops.” 

Many of our favorite summer foods can be improved and even saved by gene editing,says another new Innovature piece. 

There are many examples—from corn and lettuce that are more tolerant to heat and drought, to tomatoes that have up to five times the amount of an amino acid that can lower blood pressure. 

What’s the catch? We need policy that allows these innovative crops to be grown and sold—and to get there, we need transparency and education about the science. 

Listen: What the banana tells us about improving our food systems

President Biden’s Tuesday: Heading to La Crosse, Wisconsin, to talk about infrastructure; he’ll give remarks at 2 PM ET. 

What’s Happening on Capitol Hill: It’s a slow pre-holiday week in Washington, though infrastructure talks continues.