Pfizer CEO Remarked Lab Created Tests Shows A Fourth Shot Might Be Needed

Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla on Wednesday said people might need a fourth COVID-19 shot sooner than expected after the company conducted preliminary research and found that the new omicron variant is capable of undermining the protective antibodies generated by the company.

Earlier on Wednesday, Pfizer and BioNTech released initial lab study results which showed that a third shot is effective at fighting the omicron variant. However, the two initial doses of vaccination dropped significantly to protect against the new variant.

However, Pfizer says two doses of the vaccines still offers some kind of protection and likely prevents from getting severely sicks.

Bourla noted that preliminary study by the company was lab created copy of the variant. However more data is required to run test against the real virus and actual tests results are expected to be release in two weeks.

“When we see real-world data, will determine if the omicron is well covered by the third dose and for how long. And the second point, I think we will need a fourth dose,” Bourla told CNBC’s “Squawk Box.”

Bourla previously projected that a fourth shot would be needed 12 months after the third dose. “With omicron we need to wait and see because we have very little information. We may need it faster,” he said to CNBC.