Covid pandemic: CEOs of Pfizer and Moderna say life will be back to normal in a year
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The CEOs made it clear that normality did not mean absence of coronavirus or zero need of Covid vaccines. Both of them appeared to gravitate towards annual revaccination
In what can be called a positive signal from major Covid vaccine makers, CEOs of Pfizer and Moderna said that they anticipate a return to normal life within a year.
"I agree that, within a year, I think we will be able to come back to normal life," said Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla on ABC new network's "This Week."
He added that he did not think that coronavirus variants won't exist or that vaccines won't be needed. He said that "most likely scenario" new variants will be observed and vaccines that would last "at least a year" would be developed.
"I think the most likely scenario is annual revaccination, but we don't know really. We need to wait and see the data," Bourla said.
Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel echoed Bourla's thoughts in his conversation with Swiss newspaper Neue Zuercher Zeitung last week. He said "enough doses should be available by the middle of next year so that everyone on this earth can be vaccinated.”
These remarks from the CEOs have come after US Food and Drug Administration's decision to recommend third dose (booster) of Covid vaccine for people aged 65 and above and also for those having compromised immune system.
Rochelle Walensky, Director of Center for Disease Control and Prevention has said last week that boosters would also be available for people in high-risk environments such as healthcare workers.