Moderna CEO: "Another Booster Shot Needed This Fall"

(Photo by Reuters)

[Asia Economy Reporter Yujin Cho] St?phane Bancel, CEO of Moderna, said that a second booster shot, the fourth dose, may be necessary this fall.

According to CNBC and others on the 6th (local time), CEO Bancel made this statement at the healthcare conference hosted by Goldman Sachs.

He said, "The effectiveness of the booster shot is expected to gradually decrease over time," and added, "We are developing a vaccine targeting the Omicron variant, but it is unlikely to be released within the next two months."

CEO Bancel mentioned that governments including the UK and Korea are ordering vaccines for booster shots, and said that from this fall, elderly people or those with underlying conditions will need to receive booster shots annually for the next several years.

He also stated, "We believe that the COVID-19 virus will not disappear," and "We will have to live with it."

Earlier, Pfizer also expressed the need for a fourth dose. Last month, Albert Bourla, CEO of Pfizer, said in an interview with CNBC that due to the spread of the COVID-19 Omicron variant, a fourth vaccine dose may be necessary.