Moderna, a biotechnology company based in the United States, revealed that preliminary research indicates that their COVID-19 booster shot appears to raise antibody levels against the Omicron strain.

A 50-microgram booster dose of Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine mRNA-1273 boosted neutralizing antibody levels against Omicron approximately 37-fold over pre-boost levels, while a 100-microgram booster dose increased neutralizing antibody levels approximately 83-fold above pre-boost levels.

According to the firm, a 100-microgram booster dose was "generally safe and well-tolerated," However, there was a slight increase in the frequency of adverse events following the 100-microgram booster dose compared to the 50-microgram booster dose permitted.

To address the highly transmissible Omicron variation, Moderna will accelerate the development of an Omicron-specific booster candidate for clinical testing if it becomes essential in the future, according to Stephane Bancel, CEO of Moderna.

As of Sunday, the Omicron variant had been detected in at least 48 states in the United States, following the detection of the first case in the country in California on Dec. 1. It has established itself as the dominant COVID-19 variation in the United States as more people travel and assemble for vacations.

According to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Omicron infection cases accounted for 73.2 percent of all infection cases on Dec. 18, up from 12.6 percent in the week ending Dec. 11. (CDC).

The Omicron variant's extraordinary infectiousness and potential ability to bypass the immune system have fanned fears across the country. However, preliminary results indicate that the new variation appears to cause fewer severe symptoms and hospitalizations.