Pfizer CEO says third COVID-19 booster shot ‘likely’ needed

Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla predicted Thursday that people who have received the company’s COVID-19 vaccine will “likely” need a third booster shot within a year to maintain protection against the virus.

“It is extremely important to suppress the pool of people that can be susceptible to the virus,” Bourla told CNBC.

The pharmaceutical chief said it’s also possible that people will need to get inoculated every year against coronavirus.

Pfizer had said as early as February that it was testing booster shots in case it was determined they would be needed.

Moderna, the competitor whose vaccine uses a similar so-called messenger RNA platform as Pfizer’s, has also said it is testing booster shots.