As Omicron cases continue to rise, questions about the creation of a vaccine effective against the new variant have been answered.
In an interview with CNBC’s Squawk Box, Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla announced that a vaccine that targets Omicron will be ready this year.
“This vaccine will be ready in March,” he said on Monday. “In fact, we already started manufacturing some of these quantities at risk.”
“I don’t know if there is a need for a fourth booster,” says $PFE CEO @AlbertBourla to @megtirrell. “We are working on a new version of our vaccine that would be affective against omicron as well. The hope is that we will achieve something that will have better protection.” pic.twitter.com/6y4T5FgH3D
— Squawk Box (@SquawkCNBC) January 10, 2022
Bourla added that the vaccine will be effective against other variants that are circulating. He also noted that he doesn’t know if the world will necessarily need the vaccine, or how it will be used, but that the vaccine will be ready immediately in case countries want the doses.
Although Omicron has milder symptoms, it is known to be more easily transmissible. Bourla says their aim for the new vaccine is to create better protection against infection.
- You might also like:
- Merck to manufacture COVID-19 antiviral pill "molnupiravir" in Canada
- CDC warns Americans against travelling to Canada due to COVID-19
- What to do if you think you have Omicron, according to medical experts
“The hope is that we will achieve something that will have way way better protection, particularly against infections because the protection against the hospitalizations and the severe disease is reasonable right now with the current vaccines, as long as you are having, let’s say the third dose,” Bourla explained.
Pfizer also has an antiviral pill that will be available, pending Health Canada approval.