Two needle sticks may not be enough; instead, the head of Pfizer said a third dose may be needed within the next 12 months to protect against COVID-19.
CEO Albert Bourla made the statement earlier this month but was made public Thursday.
“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 said, according to CNBC.
Pfizer said its current vaccine remains 91% effective against COVID-19 for at least six months after getting it, but that the protection can decrease over time, The Hill reported.
Officials had said that there could be a need for COVID-19 vaccine booster shots and Pfizer along with its partner BioNTech have been testing a third dose against variants, according to The Hill.
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