Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla suggested that fully vaccinated people would need their third vaccine dose, maybe 12 months after they got their second – the EU is currently in talks to secure a further 1.8 billion doses
Speaking to CNBC, Bourla explained: “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.”
With the ongoing threat of COVID-19, hopes and expectations are hinging on how quickly societies can return to their former normalities – with vaccines lighting the way to a mass re-opening, for the richest countries in the world.
Bourla also defended the price of his vaccine, the most expensive at use in the EU:”Vaccines are very expensive. They save human lives, they allow economies to reopen but we sell them at the price of a meal.”
Does this mean social distancing will continue?
No. The third vaccine will act as a top-up.
On 1 April, the CEO of Pfizer gave an interview discussing the timeline for a third dose of his vaccine. His interview was aired yesterday (15 April), in which he explains that a third dose of Pfizer would be necessary within six to 12 months of the second dose.
Getting a large majority of people to take two doses of COVID vaccine is seen as the way to achieve herd immunity, which would then stop chains of transmission from forming among those who can’t take the vaccine for medical reasons.
However, the Pfizer COVID vaccine will be a more regular occurrence than previously imagined.
Previously, scientists were unsure of how long a vaccinated person could last. This change represents new understanding of how the COVID vaccine works, suggesting that healthcare professionals will give booster jabs – similarly to the flu jab.
The European Commission are currently negotiating a new contract with the drugmaker, to arrange for a delivery of 1.8 billion doses from 2021 to 2023.
