Ian Patrick, FISM News
A second booster shot for COVID-19 in the U.S. may be on the way soon, according to Dr. Albert Bourla, the chairman and CEO of Pfizer. During an interview on CBS News’s “Face the Nation” program on March 13, Bourla indicated that he believed the need for a fourth dose was inevitable.
Margaret Brennan first asked Bourla where he thinks the United States is in COVID-19 recovery to which he responded, “clearly we are not where we would all like to be, which is COVID is behind us.”
He added that he believes the disease is here to stay, and that the nation “will have to live- to learn how to live with it.”
Brennan then asked if there is a possibility that a yearly booster shot, similar to what we currently have for the flu virus would be necessary moving forward. Bourla affirmed the possibility, comparing how the current vaccines stacked up to the Omicron variant. He noted that Omicron is less deadly than previous variants, but was able to evade most protections from the available vaccines.
First of all, we try very diligently to stay ahead of the virus because, as you said, many variants are coming and Omicron was the first one that was able to evade in a skillful way, the immune protection that we’re giving. But also, we know that the duration of the protection doesn’t last very long. Not only of the vaccine, but also the people that are getting sick. They are not getting very durable immune protection.
Bourla further revealed that Pfizer is working on a yearly dose which he thinks will help the United States “go back to . . . the way we used to live.”
So what we are trying to do, and we are working very diligently right now, it is to make not only a vaccine that will protect against all variants, including Omicron, but also something that can protect for at least a year. And if we be able to achieve that, then I think it is very easy to follow and remember so that we can go back to really the way used to live.
When asked about the fourth booster shot, Bourla says “it is necessary.” He says the current booster is “actually quite good for hospitalizations and deaths” but not great at stopping infection and is not that long-lasting.
Bourla went on to discuss vaccines for children and other treatment options for COVID-19 being developed by Pfizer.
His statements come nearly two months after Israel released data on their attempt at a fourth vaccine dose, which it said was “not good enough” against Omicron.
You can watch the full interview with Dr. Bourla below: