Vaccinations require third probability ‘Pfizer Jab’ within 12 months, then annual shots

The Pfizer CEO said it was likely that those vaccinated with the company’s COVID-19 vaccine would need a third shot within 12 months of receiving the first two doses, and that they might have each years need a new shot.

Albert Bourla, the head of the pharmaceutical giant, made the comments earlier this month in an interview with CNBC that was announced on Thursday. More than 102 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine have been distributed in the US to date, and more than 38 million people have been fully vaccinated.

“A likely scenario is that a third dose will probably be needed, between six and twelve months, and from there it will be vaccinated again annually, but that needs to be confirmed,” Bourla said during the event. He added: “There are vaccines like polio, where one dose is enough, and there are vaccines like flu every year.”

Bourla added that COVID-19 looks more like flu like a virus like polio.

Reuters reported on Thursday that the White House is preparing for Americans to need potentially stimulating shots nine to twelve months after the initial vaccination, as scientists will study how long the vaccination is protected against the coronavirus. Initial data showed that those who received the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna shots had at least six months of protection, but the shortened timeline of vaccine development meant that researchers still did not have fixed answers regarding long-term protection.

Moderna said this week that work is also underway on booster shots, which will be ready by the fall.

“We believe we are all going to get a boost,” Moderna CEO Stéphane Bancel told CNBC.

However, a major concern is the distribution of COVID-19 variants in the US and abroad. These strains are now the most common source of infection in the US

Pfizer said in February it would begin testing a booster shot to see if it would extend protection, as well as update its original vaccine to better prevent infection by the coronavirus mutations.

“We are taking several steps to take action and be ready if a strain resists the protection afforded by the vaccine,” Bourla said at the time.