Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla Says Third Dose Of COVID-19 Vaccine Is ‘Likely’ Necessary

Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said that recipients of his company’s COVID-19 vaccination, as well as those of similar make-up like the Moderna vaccine, will “likely” require a third dose for increased immunity against the virus and its variants. Bourla also indicated people may need annual doses of the vaccine, similar to a flu shot.

“A likely scenario is that there will be likely a need for a third dose, somewhere between six and 12 months and then from there, there will be an annual re-vaccination, but all of that needs to be confirmed. And again, the variants will play a key role,” Bourla said in an interview with CNBC Thursday. “It is extremely important to suppress the pool of people that can be susceptible to the virus.”

Bourla’s comments have been seconded by Johnson & Johnson CEO Alex Gorsky who said in February that annual shots will help with immunity, as COVID-19’s several strains emulate those of the flu, meaning annual, revised vaccines would benefit public health.

Pfizer & BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine, as well as Moderna’s have proven more than 95% effective against severe symptoms from the virus. The companies are currently researching the vaccines’ effectiveness after six months, which will likely determine the necessity of a third dose.