Technologies

Delta variant: Could COVID vaccine boosters be here sooner than we thought?

With breakthrough infections in fully vaccinated people, the debate is over whether booster shots are needed to protect against the highly contagious strain.

For the most up-to-date news and information about the coronavirus pandemic, visit the WHO and CDC websites.

During the third week of July, the World Health Organization reported a 131% increase in new COVID cases in the US. With the delta variant of the coronavirus becoming the dominant strain, pharmaceutical giant Pfizer said it’s working on a booster shot for its COVID-19 vaccine. To prepare for the possibility, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said it’s weighing a third shot for immune-compromised people.

In a July 8 press release, Pfizer said a third shot of its vaccine would enhance the immunity of those who’ve already received the first two vaccine shots. In addition to creating a booster for its existing vaccine, the drugmaker said it would formulate a new version of its COVID-19 vaccine to target the delta variant. The CDC and the Food and Drug Administration responded with a joint statement the same day saying that fully vaccinated Americans «do not need a booster shot at this time.»

But that was all before the CDC’s most recent internal document confirmed in late July that vaccinated people can both contract the highly contagious delta variant and easily spread it. Those recent findings were behind the CDC’s shift in its mask guidance, which now recommends indoor mask use for everyone in areas with high transmission rates. The debate over mask use and vaccine boosters underscores how scientists and other health experts continue to grapple with the uncertainties of COVID-19.

Here’s what we know about Pfizer’s plans for a booster, and why the CDC and FDA caution against it, at least for now.

What are Pfizer’s plans for a COVID-19 booster shot?

Along with Moderna, Pfizer’s current two-dose vaccine provides effective protection against all known variants of COVID-19, including the delta variant. Studies have shown the Pfizer vaccine to be over 90% effective against the virus. But Pfizer also said its own research showed a third booster of its current vaccine increased antibody levels five to 10 times higher over its two-dose shots. The company noted its results have not been published or peer-reviewed.

Pfizer said it believes the level of protection the two doses of its vaccine provide can decrease over time, and a third booster dose may be needed «within six to 12 months» after a person is fully vaccinated. To prepare for the booster, Pfizer is testing both the effectiveness of a third dose of its current vaccine and working on an updated version targeting the delta variant. Pfizer said it would begin clinical trials on the booster this month as it seeks approval from government regulators for a third dose.

The company says a third shot given at least six months after the second shot in its original vaccine series would enhance protection against the delta variant, which has been known to infect fully vaccinated people.

What are the CDC and FDA saying in response?

«People who are fully vaccinated are protected from severe disease and death, including from the variants currently circulating in the country such as Delta,» the CDC and FDA said in a July 8 joint statement, without naming Pfizer. The government agencies emphasized the need for all eligible people to receive full doses of one of the approved vaccines, all of which are free.

The CDC and FDA said the question of a booster requires extensive scientific data and doesn’t depend on the input from pharmaceutical companies alone. «Virtually all COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths are among those who are unvaccinated,» the statement mentioned, adding that the agencies will approve booster doses «if and when the science demonstrates that they are needed.»

According to a July 23 article in The New York Times, there is a growing consensus among Biden administration health officials that older individuals and those with compromised immune systems may, in fact, need a third shot. The same article notes that the CDC is exploring options to administer third doses even prior to authorization.

Is Moderna also planning to develop a booster shot?

While scientists and public health officials continue to study if those who are fully vaccinated will need a booster shot, Moderna said — along with Pfizer — it is moving ahead and exploring the need for a third shot.

Would the booster shot be free?

The current one-dose vaccine shot from Johnson & Johnson and two-dose versions from Moderna and Pfizer are free to anyone who wants to get vaccinated. According to the Biden administration, COVID-19 booster shots will also be free, if and when they’re approved.

Is it a good idea to mix and match COVID vaccines?

The CDC doesn’t recommend mixing and matching vaccines from the different makers, saying it hasn’t evaluated the effectiveness of mixing vaccine doses and that the «vaccines are not interchangeable.»

However, other global health agencies and countries are testing administered vaccines from two different manufacturers. In England, for example, a recent study found that those who received a first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine and a second of Pfizer had a higher immune response than those who received two doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine.

While we wait to see how the situation develops, here’s what we know about the delta variant, more about COVID-19 boosters and if you need to continue to wear a mask.

The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.

Technologies

In Honor of the Artemis II Mission, Explore the Moon in Fortnite Now

You might not be able to see the moon the way the Artemis II team is, but there’s an educational Fortnite simulation that will get you onto the celestial body’s surface.

You may not be able to explore the vast majesty of space in the same way that the four-person crew of the Artemis II is, but you can still get an up-close-and-personal view of the moon… in Fortnite, at least.

While you may not be able to slingshot around Earth’s own lunar body, space enthusiasts can see a little bit of what the Artemis II crew is seeing by spending time on the Lunar Horizons Fortnite map right now. The map is a creative collaboration between Fortnite’s creator, Epic Games, and the European Space Agency. Lunar Horizons was released in 2024 after extensive testing and play from ESA trainee astronauts.

If you’re looking to learn more about our own orbiting body, the Lunar Horizons map is an educational simulation of the surface of the moon’s South Pole.

It blends game mechanics with learning, as players get to build up their own sterile lunar habitat bases, interact with ESA astronauts and roll around with robotic rovers as they discover informative plaques that contain information about the moon and international space agencies. There are still dangers to navigate, too — a solar storm may strike when you least expect it.

If you’re interested in exploring the moon, we’ve got all the information you need to join in on the Fortnite fun below. And if you’re looking for a more serious livestream during this momentous human achievement, tune into NASA’s feed here.

How to join the Moon Fortnite island while you follow the Artemis II mission

The Lunar Horizons Fortnite map is a great educational simulation that shares details about ESA’s work and catalogs information about humanity’s lunar research.

These three simple steps will get you up and running (or more accurately, taking slow leaps and bounds) on the surface of the Lunar Horizons Fortnite map:

Download Fortnite

If you haven’t played Fortnite before, but you want to check out this limited-time event, you’ll have to download the game. If you’re on PC, you can download Fortnite for free from the Epic Games Store. Console players can navigate the PlayStation Store, Microsoft Store or Nintendo eShop in order to download Fortnite on their devices.

Navigate the in-game menus until you reach the Search button

Once you’re in the game, scroll down past the different official Fortnite game modes and the Discover tab until you find the Search button.

Input the Lunar Horizons island code

In the search bar, you can input a map’s name or its distinct search code in order to find it in the map directory. You can search for the Lunar Horizons map or input the code 3207-0960-6428 to explore this map in time.

Correction, 3:35 p.m. PT: This story initially was in error about the features available in the Lunar Horizons map. There is no Artemis II-specific mission in Fortnite. Rather, the Lunar Horizons map is an educational simulation of part of the moon’s surface.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints and Answers for April 7, #561

Here are hints and the answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle for April 7, No. 561.

Looking for the most recent regular Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle and Strands puzzles.

Today’s Connections: Sports Edition is a fun mix of categories, and the purple one cracked me up. If you’re struggling with today’s puzzle but still want to solve it, read on for hints and the answers.

Connections: Sports Edition is published by The Athletic, the subscription-based sports journalism site owned by The Times. It doesn’t appear in the NYT Games app, but it does in The Athletic’s own app. Or you can play it for free online.

Read more: NYT Connections: Sports Edition Puzzle Comes Out of Beta

Hints for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: Fore!

Green group hint: Hockey Night in Canada.

Blue group hint: Meteorologist favorites.

Purple group hint: And they’re off!

Answers for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Yellow group: Golf scoring terms.

Green group: Canadian NHL teams.

Blue group: Weather-themed teams.

Purple group: Things that race at MLB games.

Read more: Wordle Cheat Sheet: Here Are the Most Popular Letters Used in English Words

What are today’s Connections: Sports Edition answers?

The yellow words in today’s Connections

The theme is golf scoring terms. The four answers are birdie, bogey, eagle and par.

The green words in today’s Connections

The theme is Canadian NHL teams. The four answers are Canadiens, Canucks, Oilers and Senators.

The blue words in today’s Connections

The theme is weather-themed teams. The four answers are Hurricanes, Lightning, Storm and Thunder.

The purple words in today’s Connections

The theme is things that race at MLB games. The four answers are pierogis, presidents, sausages and the freeze.

Technologies

Trump Administration Bans Chinese Routers. Phones and Cameras Could Follow

Major companies, including Huawei and Hikvision, could see the last of their import orders cut off from the US within 30 days of implementation.

The Federal Communications Commission continued its crackdown on Chinese tech on Friday, issuing a new proposal that would extend a ban on companies to products previously authorized.

In 2021, companies such as Huawei, Hikvision, Dahua, Hytera and ZTE were added to the FCC’s Covered List, a record of companies and products that the FCC believes pose a national security risk to the US, under the Secure Networks Act. The Chinese companies produce mobile phones, security cameras and other tech products.

But the 2021 ban applied only to new models that the FCC hadn’t authorized, and companies were free to keep selling models that had already received the FCC’s stamp of approval. If approved, the new proposal would ban these companies entirely, including those previously approved products.

«Older models of covered equipment pose an unacceptable risk today when imported or marketed in the United States, not only when such equipment is new to the market,» an FCC report from October said.

The proposal will be open for comment until May 6, after which the commission will vote on whether to adopt the rules. The ban won’t affect devices already owned by Americans.

Millions of consumers and businesses rely on Wi-Fi routers, telecommunications equipment and security cameras every day, making these devices critical links in both home and office networks. The Federal Communications Commission shocked the broadband industry on March 23 by effectively banning the sale of future foreign-made Wi-Fi routers (including some of the biggest router brands).

In recent years, Chinese telecommunications companies have faced restrictions on operating in the US. In 2020, The Wall Street Journal cited US officials who reportedly said that Chinese companies, including Huawei, used backdoor access intended for law enforcement to track sensitive information.

But this ban could be implemented quickly. The FCC proposes that «all parties [will have to] cease all importation and marketing activities within 30 days of the effective date of the prohibition.»

This proposition doesn’t reflect a final legal ruling on telecommunications imports, but it does reflect how the Trump administration has been increasingly pressuring Chinese tech companies in recent months.

The foreign-made router ban was only the latest in a string of decisions that have placed restrictions on Chinese tech companies operating in the US.

In December, the FCC banned the importation of Chinese-made drones into the US. Just months before that, the agency voted to block new approvals for any device containing parts manufactured by companies on the Covered List.

Representatives from the FCC and Huawei didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment. The White House didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.