ATLANTA — While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently relaxed its mask guidance for most counties, Pfizer is warning people that they should anticipate needing a fourth shot in the future.
The company is working to submit data to the FDA for a fourth dose after its CEO said its scientists found protection from the initial booster shot began to wane against omicron after three to four months.
The CDC already authorized some immune-compromised people to get a fourth shot back in the fall. But, there's no word yet when the FDA could authorize a fourth dose for healthy teens and adults.
Meanwhile, Pfizer is also working on a longer-lasting vaccine.
The CEO says the goal is to create something that "can protect you for at least a year."
"The protection we are getting from the third, it is good enough--actually quite good for hospitalizations and deaths--is not that good against infections, but doesn't last very long." Albert Bourla, Pfizer CEO, said.
This all comes as the Georgia Health Department announced it will no longer require school districts to submit weekly testing data. This marks an end to a practice that began a year and a half ago where schools were required to post a weekly snapshot of their COVID-19 cases.
The Department of Public Health said it is changing the guidance now because infections and hospitalizations have dropped in recent weeks.
For children five and under, Pfizer says that it should have a three dose vaccine ready by next month, with distribution beginning as early as May.