COVID-19 vaccine boosters that target the Omicron virus variant may not be needed, according to a new study. Researchers with the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Moderna, and other institutions tested Moderna’s regular booster and Moderna’s Omicron-specific booster and found that both lead to “comparable and significant increases in neutralizing antibody responses against all VOC including Omicron.” VOC refers to variants of concern. Omicron is a variant of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus. Also known as SARS-CoV-2, the virus causes COVID-19. The study (pdf) has not been peer-reviewed but was posted online already “because of its timeliness,” the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, part of the NIH, said in a statement. Researchers tested the boosters in monkeys after Moderna and Pfizer announced plans to roll out Omicron-specific boosters in the future. Omicron evades protection from the vaccines and prior infection better than earlier strains, leading to a record number …