Pfizer CEO sees annual Covid vaccine rather than frequent boosters
"Once a year - it is easier to convince people to do it. It is easier for people to remember
Pfizer Inc Chief Executive Albert Bourla said on Saturday that an annual Covid-19 vaccine would be preferable to more frequent booster shots in fighting the coronavirus pandemic.
Pfizer/BioNtech's Covid-19 vaccine has shown to be effective against severe disease and death caused by the heavily-mutated Omicron variant but less effective in preventing transmission.
With cases soaring, some countries have expanded Covid-19 vaccine booster programmes or shortened the gap between shots as governments scramble to shore up protection.
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In an interview with Israel's N12 News, Bourla was asked whether he sees booster shots being administered every four to five months on a regular basis.
"This will not be a good scenario. What I'm hoping (is) that we will have a vaccine that you will have to do once a year," Bourla said.
"Once a year - it is easier to convince people to do it. It is easier for people to remember.
"So from a public health perspective, it is an ideal situation. We are looking to see if we can create a vaccine that covers Omicron and doesn't forget the other variants and that could be a solution," Bourla said.
