Pfizer's CEO Says Covid Vaccine Effectiveness Drops To 84% After Six Months

11/17/21, 6:58 AM Pfizer's CEO says Covid vaccine effectiveness drops to 84% after six months
BREAKING Stocks making the biggest moves premarket: Lowe’s, Target, GlaxoSmithK 
5 THINGS TO KNOW THIS MORNING 
WATCH LIVE

HEALT H AND SCIEN CE
Pfizer’s CEO says Covid vaccine effectiveness drops to

84% after six months
P U B L I S H E D W E D, J U L 2 8 2 0 2 1 • 3 : 3 6 P M E DT U P DAT E D W E D, J U L 2 8 2 0 2 1 • 3 : 4 7 P M E DT
Kevin Stankiewicz
@ K E V I N _ S TA N K WATCH LIVE
KEY POINTS
The efficacy of Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine steadily declines to about 84% about six
months after a second dose, according to CEO Albert Bourla.
Data from Israel shows the waning immunity also erodes protection from severe
illness.
The vaccine’s initial studies showed it protected people 100% of the time against
hospitalization, but that falls to low 90% and mid-to-high 80% after six months, he
said.

MARKETS

CNBC TV

WATC H L I S T MENU

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/07/28/pfizers-ceo-says-covid-vaccine-effectiveness-drops-to-84percent-after-six-months.html 1/6
5 THINGS
V I D E O TO
0 3 : 0KNOW
0 THIS MORNING 
Covid immunity wanes 6 months after the Pfizer vaccine
WATCH LIVE

The effectiveness of Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccine steadily declines over time, dropping to
about 84% for vaccinated people about four to six months after getting their second dose,
according to CEO Albert Bourla.
The comments, made on Wednesday on CNBC’s “The Exchange,” are based on the
findings of a new company-funded study that has yet to be peer reviewed. It comes as the
drugmaker clashes with U.S. health officials over the need for a third Covid vaccine dose to
boost immunity protection.
The study found the vaccine’s effectiveness was strongest, at 96.2%, between one week
and two months after receiving the second dose. It declined an average of 6% every two
months, according to the study, which signed up more than 44,000 people across the U.S.
and other countries. The efficacy after “four to six months was approximately 84%,”
Bourla said.
Pfizer sells $7.8 billion in Covid shots in the second

quarter, raises 2021 guidance on vaccine sales
“We have seen also data from Israel that there is a waning of immunity and that starts
impacting what used to be what was 100% against hospitalization. Now, after the six
month period, is becoming low 90s and mid-to-high 80s,” Bourla said.
“The good news is that we are very, very confident that a third dose, a booster, will take up
the immune response to levels that will be enough to protect against the delta variant,” the
executive added, referring to the highly contagious virus strain that’s dominant in the U.S.
and other countries around the globe. It’s not uncommon for vaccines to decline in

MARKETS

CNBC TV

WATC H L I S T MENU

effectivenessStocks
BREAKING over time, Bourla
making thestressed,
biggest adding
moves there’s precedent
premarket: forTarget,
Lowe’s, three-dose vaccines 
GlaxoSmithK
for other diseases.
Pfizer plans to formally submit data to U.S. regulators about the benefits of a thirdWATCH
CovidLIVE

vaccine dose by mid-August, Bourla said.
Earlier this month, when Pfizer first announced its plans, the Food and Drug
Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a joint
statement that pushed back on the company, saying “Americans who have been fully
vaccinated do not need a booster shot at this time.”
The CDC and the World Health Organization don’t recommend Covid booster shots at
this time.
Dr. Kate O’Brien, WHO’s director of immunization, vaccines and biologicals, said
Wednesday the organization is still researching whether a booster shot is needed to
increase protection.
“We’re very clear on this, there’s not enough information to provide a recommendation at
this point,” O’Brien said in a Q&A interview posted on the organization’s social media
accounts. “Again, this is a very hot topic, and there’s a lot of research going on to be able to
provide an evidence-based recommendation.”
The results of Pfizer-backed study surfaced a day after the CDC reversed course on its
prior guidance and recommended fully vaccinated Americans who live in areas with high
Covid infection rates begin to wear face masks indoors again.
Coronavirus cases have jumped nationwide in recent weeks, a surge public-health officials
attribute to the delta variant. While officials say the majority of Covid hospitalizations and
deaths are in unvaccinated people, the delta variant is so contagious that vaccinated
individuals can transmit the virus as easily as unvaccinated people, even in asymptomatic
cases, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said Tuesday.

MARKETS

CNBC TV

WATC H L I S T

MENU
WATCH LIVE

SUBSCRIBE
SIGN IN
VIDEO 09:53
 Watch CNBC’s full interview with Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla
Squawk Box WATCH IN THE APP
UP NEXT | Squawk on the Street 9:00 AM ET
TRENDING NOW
How much you need to invest per month to retire with $500,000, $750,000 or $1
million
1
Stocks making the biggest moves premarket: Lowe’s, Target, GlaxoSmithKline and
others
2
You’re drinking your coffee wrong—these 3 tricks can boost your productivity,
experts say
3
The world is worried Putin is about to invade Ukraine. Here’s why
4
MARKETS

CNBC TV

WATC H L I S T MENU

3 things student loan borrowers should know before the end of the year
5
WATCH LIVE

Subscribe to CNBC PRO Licensing & Reprints

CNBC Councils Supply Chain Values
CNBC on Peacock Advertise With Us
Join the CNBC Panel Digital Products
News Releases Closed Captioning
Corrections About CNBC
Internships Site Map
Podcasts Ad Choices
Careers Help
Contact
      
News Tips
Got a confidential news tip? We want to hear from you.
GET IN TOUCH
 CNBC Newsletters
Sign up for free newsletters and get more CNBC delivered to your inbox
SIGN UP NOW
Get this delivered to your inbox, and more info about our products and services.

MARKETS

CNBC TV

WATC H L I S T MENU

Privacy Policy
Do Not Sell My Personal Information
CATHINGS
5 Notice TO KNOW THIS MORNING 
Terms of Service
WATCH LIVE

© 2021 CNBC LLC. All Rights Reserved. A Division of NBCUniversal
Data is a real-time snapshot *Data is delayed at least 15 minutes. Global Business and Financial News, Stock Quotes, and Market Data and Analysis.
Market Data Terms of Use and Disclaimers

Data also provided by

MARKETS

CNBC TV

WATC H L I S T

MENU

Pfizer's CEO Says Covid Vaccine Effectiveness Drops To 84% After Six Months

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Pfizer's CEO Says Covid Vaccine Effectiveness Drops To 84% After Six Months

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

11/17/21, 6:58 AM Pfizer's CEO says Covid vaccine effectiveness drops to 84% after six months

5 THINGS TO KNOW THIS MORNING 

Pfizer’s CEO says Covid vaccine effectiveness drops to

Pfizer sells $7.8 billion in Covid shots in the second

5 THINGS TO KNOW THIS MORNING 

 Watch CNBC’s full interview with Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla

Squawk Box WATCH IN THE APP

UP NEXT | Squawk on the Street 9:00 AM ET

The world is worried Putin is about to invade Ukraine. Here’s why

Subscribe to CNBC PRO Licensing & Reprints

Market Data Terms of Use and Disclaimers

You might also like