(NewsNation) — As the world is finally emerging from a stretch of winter dominated by the highly contagious omicron variant, recommendations for a fourth COVID-19 booster are being discussed.
Across the country, there are far more smiling faces to see as masks are off because COVID-19 infections are down dramatically. But it may take yet another shot to keep it that way.
As new variants are likely, there are fresh indications that the new normal will include regular booster shots.
Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla indicated Sunday that a fourth dose of the COVID-19 vaccine will be necessary to continue to help keep hospitalizations manageable and sicknesses more mild.
“Right now, the way that we have seen, it is necessary, a fourth booster right now,” he said. “The protection that we are getting from the third, it is good enough, actually quite good for hospitalizations and deaths. It’s not that good against infections, but doesn’t last very long.”
Appearing on CBS’s “Face the Nation,” Bourla said data supporting a fourth shot has been submitted to the Food and Drug Administration.
And the company is working hard to develop a more potent version for year-round protection.
The CEO of Moderna has also indicated that a fourth shot may be needed due to declining efficacy.
On the two-year anniversary of the start of the pandemic, many people are ready and willing to go for number four.
“I don’t want to get sick. I don’t want to get COVID,” said Melinda Oldham, who is fully vaccinated and boosted. “If they say it, I’ll do it. I’m prone. It’s very scary for me.”
Data indicates that protection from the current booster declines after about four months.
But compliance may also need a boost.
According to the CDC, while more than 75% of Americans got a first shot, 10 percent fewer went on to become fully vaccinated with two shots. And only 47% of that population is boosted.
Ryan Wald is among those who skipped a third shot.
“I actually got COVID on December 23,” said Wald, who is fully vaccinated but unboosted. “And the next day I went surfing. So I just haven’t felt like it’s something that I need to do.”
With pandemic fatigue and effective therapeutics out now, many are still on the fence about the third shot.
Joe Hara, who is fully vaccinated but unboosted, said “the first two kind of knocked me on my butt, so I wasn’t in a rush to get another one.”
It’s not clear when the FDA might authorize a fourth dose for healthy adults.
Infection rates in the U.S. are declining, but cases are still popping up. Former President Barack Obama said Sunday that he had tested positive for the coronavirus.
Obama encouraged more Americans to get vaccinated against the coronavirus,
There were roughly 35,000 infections on average over the past week, down sharply from mid-January, when that average was closer to 800,000.
Israel, Chile and Germany have already begun recommending fourth COVID-19 doses for high-risk groups.
The Hill and the Associated Press contributed to this report.