Pfizer CEO: COVID-19 Could Be ‘Controlled’ By Annual Vaccines, Pills To Treat
The CEO of the first company to win approval for a COVID-19 vaccine said Monday that he hopes the virus will be “controlled” by annual vaccinations and pills to treat illness when people get sick.
Albert Bourla, head of pharmaceutical giant Pfizer, said on CNBC that annual COVID shots could become the norm, just like yearly flu shots.
“We will have perfectly normal lives, with just injection maybe once a year. And the pill in case we are sick will make it more flu like rather than life-threatening disease,” he said. But Bourla added: “Two doses of the vaccine offers very limited protection, if any.”
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized Pfizer’s COVID treatment pill late last year, but so far it is not widely available.
Bourla’s comments mirror those of Stéphane Bancel, the CEO of Moderna, which also produces a vaccine. Bancel also told CNBC on Monday that he sees additional booster shots as necessary to battle the virus. He also said his company is “working very actively on an Omicron-specific vaccine as a booster” and “discussing with public health leaders around the world to decide what we think is the best strategy for a potential booster for fall of 2022.” – READ MORE
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