Vaccine targeting Omicron will be ready in March: Pfizer CEO

Jan 11 2022, 5:18 pm

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.”

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.

“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.

Isabelle DoctoIsabelle Docto

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