PFIZER SAYS PANDEMIC COULD EXTEND THROUGH 2023, STUDIES VACCINE COURSE FOR KIDS

By Chandrayee Roy Choudhury, Canada:

Pfizer Inc on Friday forecast that the COVID-19 pandemic would not be behind us until 2024 and said a lower-dose version of its vaccine for 2- to 4-year-olds generated a weaker immune response than expected, potentially delaying authorization.
Pfizer Chief Scientific Officer Mikael Dolsten said in a presentation to investors that the company expects some regions to continue to see pandemic levels of COVID-19 cases over the next year or two. Other countries will transition to “endemic” with low, manageable caseloads during that same time period.
Pfizer developed its COVID-19 vaccine with Germany’s BioNTech SE , and currently expects it to generate revenue of $31 billion next year. It plans to make 4 billion shots next year.
Pfizer’s forecast came after the emergence of the Omicron variant last month, which has more than 50 mutations compared with the original version of the virus. That has reduced the effectiveness of two doses of the vaccine against infection, and spurred fear of rapid spread around the globe.