Interview with “Face the Nation,”Albert Bourla, Pfizer CEO, said that a fourth dose COVID-19 vaccine might be needed. CBS News.
“Right now, the way that we have seen, it is necessary, a fourth booster right now,”He stated. “The protection that you are getting from the third, it is good enough, actually quite good for hospitalizations and deaths. It’s not that good against infections.”
He also stated that Pfizer is submitting this data to the Food and Drug Administration.
Steven Danehy, a spokesperson for Pfizer, explained that Bourla is referring to preliminary data from a study done earlier this year. CBS News reported that the pharmaceutical company looked at a fourth dose as well as a dose targeting the Omicron variant.
“We will continue to collect and assess all available data,”Danehy stated in a statement “and remain in open dialogue with regulators and health authorities to help inform a COVID-19 vaccine strategy as the virus evolves.”
Bourla also said that Pfizer is currently working to create a new vaccine that will protect patients for at most a year from all variants.
“Omicron was the first one that was able to evade in a skillful way the immune protection that we’re giving,”He said. “But also, we know that the duration of the protection doesn’t last very long.”
A fourth dose of the drug will be approved if necessary. This is especially important for those who are more vulnerable to developing breakthrough infections.