Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla admitted Saturday that he is hoping people around the world will receive annual COVID-19 vaccine shots.
The admission comes as the global community implements booster campaigns because, as Reuters noted, the COVID vaccines have proven to be effective at preventing most deaths and hospitalizations, but not transmission.
What are the details?
Speaking with Israel’s N12 News, Bourla was asked whether he believes COVID booster shoots will be administered on a regular basis, such as every four or five months. In response, Bourla expressed hope in annual vaccine shots.
“This will not be a good scenario,” Bourla said of regular booster shots, Reuters reported. “What I’m hoping [is] that we will have a vaccine that you will have to do once a year.”
Bourla’s justification? Because convincing people to receive an annual shot is easier than convincing them to receive bi-annual boosters.
“Once a year — it is easier to convince people to do it. It is easier for people to remember,” Bourla explained. “So from a public health perspective, it is an ideal situation. We are looking to see if we can create a vaccine that covers Omicron and doesn’t forget the other variants and that could be a solution.”
How much money is Pfizer making?
When Pfizer released its third-quarter earnings report last November, the company estimated its COVID-19 vaccine would generate $36 billion in total revenue through 2021.
During the same time period, Pfizer reported a net income (or profit) of nearly $8.146 billion, up from just $1.469 billion during the third-quarter of 2020.
What about the US?
CDC Director Rochelle Walensky admitted last week that her agency is working to change the definition of “fully vaccinated” to include booster shots.
“What we really are working to do is pivot the language to make sure that everybody is as up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines as they personally could be, should be, based on when they got their last vaccine,” Walenksy said.
“That means if you recently got your second dose, you’re not eligible for a booster, you’re up to date,” she explained. “If you are eligible for a booster and you haven’t gotten it, you’re not up to date and you need to get your booster in order to be up to date.”