Pfizer expects Omicron COVID vaccine to be ready in March

pfizer Chief Executive Officer Albert Boerla told CNBC that Pfizer is already manufacturing the dose because of keen interest from governments, as officials count a large number of Covid-19 infections, including a large number of “breakthrough” Omicron cases. .

“This vaccine will be ready in March,” Bourla told the network. “I don’t know if we’ll need it. I don’t know if it will be used.”

Bourla said the current regime of two vaccine shots and one booster provided “reasonable” protection against serious health effects from Omicron.

But a vaccine focused directly on the Omicron variant would also protect against successful infections from a strain that has proven to be highly contagious, but has also resulted in many mild or asymptomatic cases.

In a separate interview with CNBC on Monday, Moderna CEO Stephen Bunsell said the company is developing a booster that can address Omicron and other emerging strains in the fall of 2022.

“We are in discussion with public health leaders around the world to decide what is the best strategy for potential boosters for fall 2022,” Bansel told the network.

“We need to be careful to try to be ahead of a virus and not behind a virus.”

This story has been published without modification in text from a wire agency feed. Only the title has been changed.