Booster jabs in GCC remain ‘critical’ to beat ‘unpredictable’ COVID-19: Pfizer chief

Booster jabs in GCC remain ‘critical’ to beat ‘unpredictable’ COVID-19: Pfizer chief

Residents in the GCC must continue to have regular booster jabs to combat the spread of the “highly unpredictable” and evolving COVID-19 virus, Pfizer’s Middle East chief has told Al Arabiya English.

Patrick van der Loo, Pfizer’s regional president for Africa and the Middle East (AfME) region, said while there “is a strong, global desire to move beyond the pandemic, loosen restrictions, and return to a sense of normalcy”, COVID-19 remains a clear and present threat to worldwide nations.

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As people spend more time indoors as the weather grows colder and as schools reconvene, a potential surge in new infections is a real threat, he said in an interview on Tuesday.

“The reality is that the virus continues to evolve and remains highly unpredictable,” he said. “Many countries around the world have experienced a rise in case rates, showing that governments must remain vigilant and be prepared to address the potential risks.”

“As the fall/winter season approaches we encourage people to protect themselves and stay healthy. Since the beginning of the pandemic, we set out to develop a vaccine to help protect our communities from serious illness, and vaccination remains