Pfizer CEO: Third Dose Of Vaccine May Be Needed

A third COVID-19 vaccine shot will likely be needed within a year of being fully vaccinated, Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said Thursday. Bourla also suggested that people will need to be vaccinated annually.

“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 revaccination, but all of that needs to be confirmed. And again, the variants will play a key role,” Bourla told CNBC’s Bertha Coombs.

“It is extremely important to suppress the pool of people that can be susceptible to the virus,” Bourla said.

Pfizer recently said its vaccine is more than 91% effective at protecting against the virus, and more than 95% effective against severe disease up to six months after a second dose. 

Meanwhile, medical researchers have said they still aren't sure about those numbers, or "how long protection against the virus lasts once someone has been fully vaccinated," CNBC reported.

Per the CNBC report, Pfizer’s data was based on more than 12,000 vaccinated participants.