Omicron vaccine expected to be ready in March: Pfizer

Pfizer expects a vaccine targeting the Omicron variant to be ready in March, said Pfizer Chief Executive Officer Albert Bourla on Monday.

He told CNBC that Pfizer is already manufacturing doses due to keen interest from governments, as authorities contend with huge COVID-19 infection counts, including large numbers of ‘breakthrough’ Omicron cases in vaccinated populations.

“This vaccine will be ready in March. However, I don’t know if we will need it. I don’t know if and how it will be used.”

Bourla said the existing regime of two vaccine shots and a booster has provided ‘reasonable’ protection against serious health effects from Omicron.

But a vaccine focused directly on the Omicron variant would also guard against breakthrough infections of a strain that has proven highly contagious, but has also resulted in many mild or asymptomatic cases.

ARR