(CNN) –– The CEO of PfizerAlbert Bourla said in an interview with Israel’s Channel 12 this Saturday that he expects covid-19 vaccines to be given annually, rather than a booster every four to five months.
“I think this is not going to be a good scenario,” Bourla said of frequent booster doses against Covid-19. “What I hope we have is a vaccine that we will have to do once a year, as we do for many other things,” he added.
“With once a year, it’s easier to convince people to do it. It’s easier for people to remember. From a public health perspective, it’s an ideal situation,” he continued. “We’re looking to see if we can create a vaccine that covers omicron and doesn’t leave out the other variants and that could be a solution unless something completely different comes along.”
Last Friday, it was revealed that three new powerful studies from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) highlight the importance of getting a booster shot against covid-19 for the best protection against the omicron variant.
These are the first real-patient data examining the effect of omicron boosters. Precisely, this variant now represents more than 99% of coronavirus cases in the United States. The studies, released Friday, raise the question of whether people with just two doses of vaccines should still be considered fully vaccinated.
“I think we have to redefine full vaccination as three doses,” said Dr. William Schaffner, a longtime CDC vaccine adviser who was not involved in the studies.
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