Pfizer and BioNTech had started testing the effectiveness of a third dose back in February.
Bourla had stated back then that the booster dose was being tested “to understanding the safety of a third dose and immunity against circulating strains.”
Apart from the rapidly mutating strains, another factor that has prompted the possible need for a third dose is the question of how long the vaccine’s effectiveness will otherwise last.
The same trial had also found the vaccine to be 91.3 percent affective against the virus between 7 days and 6 months from getting the vaccine, and is a 100 percent effective against severe disease. This study was conducted on 12000 vaccinated participants.
Experts have been of the opinion that COVID vaccines may require yearly booster shots, like in the case of flue shots.
A similar comment was made by the CEO of Johnson & Johnson to CNBC back in February.
(Written with inputs from Reuters, CNBC, and IANS)
