The majority of patients will require a fourth COVID-19 dose to be protected against the virus, according to Pfizer’s CEO on Sunday.

When asked if Americans may expect to have annual COVID booster shots every fall, CEO Albert Bourla indicated during an interview on CBS’s “Face The Nation” that “it is necessary for most.”

The two first doses plus a booster regimen is unable to guard against variants and loses strength too soon, according to Bourla, demanding further shots.

“Right now, the protection that you’re getting from the third [shot], it is good enough — actually quite good for hospitalizations and deaths — it’s not that good against infections, but doesn’t last very long,” he said.

According to a new study published by Sheba Medical Center – Israel, the fourth coronavirus vaccine provides minimal protection against the coronavirus.

The study, which was published in The New England Journal of Medicine, looked at the efficacy of Pfizer and Moderna’s fourth coronavirus vaccine. When compared to young and healthy persons who received three doses of the vaccine, the interim data reveal that the vaccine provides little to no protection against catching the virus.

In comparison to those who were immunized three times, the vaccine did give moderate protection against symptomatic infection among young and healthy people.

“Among the approximate 600 participants, 270 of whom received either a fourth dose of the Pfizer vaccine or Moderna vaccine, we found no differences, both in terms of IgG antibody levels and in terms of neutralizing antibody levels, which reached a level similar to that measured a month after the third dose was administered,” added Prof. Gili Regev-Yochay, head researcher of the study.

As for the effectiveness of the fourth vaccine, both Pfizer and Moderna reported that the infection rates among vaccinated people were only modestly lower than those in the control group.

“However, it should be emphasized that the third dose is extremely important for anyone who has not yet contracted COVID-19, and the fourth dose is most likely important for populations with risk factors for which a fourth vaccine would protect from serious illness.

“This study is added to a series of studies led by Sheba with the aim of providing a scientific basis for managing a pandemic that has wreaked havoc around the globe,” concluded Regev-Yochay.

“Thanks to the cohort at Sheba and the plethora of data we have accumulated since the beginning of the pandemic, we continue to lead international studies which shed light on the behavior of the virus and the effectiveness of vaccines and serve decision makers in determining health policy in Israel and around the world.”

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