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It appears the giants who run big pharmaceutical companies may begin recommending another injection for Americans.
CNBC reports “Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said Wednesday that people might need a fourth Covid-19 shot sooner than expected due to omicron.”
This recommendation for another shot comes sooner than expected because there is only preliminary research on the new omicron variant.
The studies hope to determine whether protective antibodies are generated by the vaccine the company developed with BioNTech.
Bourla told CNBC, “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.”
“With omicron we need to wait and see because we have very little information. We may need it faster,” he said.
Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said Wednesday that people might need a fourth Covid-19 shot sooner than expected due to omicron. https://t.co/lKUFoAxdUv
— CNBC (@CNBC) December 9, 2021
CNBC reports, “Pfizer and BioNTech released results from an initial lab study Wednesday morning that showed a third shot is effective at fighting the omicron variant, while the initial two-dose vaccination series dropped significantly in its ability to protect against the new strain. However, the two-dose series likely still offers protection against getting severely sick from omicron, the companies said.”
“Bourla noted that a preliminary study by the company was based on a synthetic, lab-created copy of the variant and more data is needed from tests against the real virus. Those real-world results will be more accurate and are expected in the next two weeks, the Pfizer CEO said.”
The CEO of Moderna also admits the coronavirus vaccine will likely not be effective against the omicron variant, Fox News reported.
Stéphane Bancel told the Financial Times, “I think it’s going to be a material drop. I just don’t know how much because we need to wait for the data,” he added.
In South Africa, a new variation has been identified as “Omicron” by World Health Organization officials.
Joe Biden said the new variant is a “cause for concern, not a cause for panic.” In response, Joe Biden announced new travel restrictions on the country of South Africa despite previous comments that such bans by Trump were racist and xenophobic.
Suddenly, now that Biden controls the White House, he is implementing his own travel bans. He appears completely blind to his own hypocrisy.
In a statement, Biden says, “This morning I was briefed by my chief medical advisor, Dr. Tony Fauci, and the members of our COVID response team, about the Omicron variant, which is spreading through Southern Africa.”
“As a precautionary measure until we have more information, I am ordering additional air travel restrictions from South Africa and seven other countries. These new restrictions will take effect on November 29.”
More from Fox News:
He told the paper that he does not believe there is a “world” where the effectiveness is the same level that vaccines had with the Delta variant. He said he’s spoken to scientists who told him that this variant is “not going to be good.” He also said it could be months before pharmaceutical companies can produce vaccines at scale to counter omicron.
The Financial Times reported that a recent Stanford study found the Moderna jab 56.6% effective against infection from the Delta variant.
He said he is not considering any widespread U.S. lockdown and instead urged mask-wearing and vaccinations, even as a federal judge blocked his administration from enforcing a requirement that thousands of health care workers in 10 states get the shot.
The World Health Organization said there are “considerable uncertainties” about the omicron variant. But it said preliminary evidence raises the possibility that the variant has mutations that could help it both evade an immune-system response and boost its ability to spread from one person to another.
Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, reacted to the potential threat by urging everyone 18 and older to get booster shots, because “strong immunity will likely prevent serious illness.”
