Have you had your 2nd Pfizer vaccine dose?

You will likely need a 3rd shot in 12 months, Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said.

And you may need an annual covid-19 vaccine just like a flu shot, he said.

“It is extremely important to suppress the pool of people that can be susceptible to the virus,” Bourla told CNBC.

Other vaccine makers have not yet said if followup shots are needed.

Pfizer recently announced its vaccine was highly effective up to 6 months after the 2nd dose.

This is based on results from more than 12,000 participants in a late-stage trial.

Findings included a 91.3% vaccine efficacy and more than 95% efficacy against severe disease.

Pfizer tested if a 3rd shot could offer greater protection against emerging strains of the virus, like the South African strain.

None of the 400 vaccinated in South Africa became infected, Bourla said.

He said vaccines like those for polio need only a single dose. Vaccines for flu are needed every year.

“The covid virus looks more like the influenza virus than the polio virus.”