Moderna CEO says fourth COVID-19 shot could be necessary

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Moderna CEO says fourth COVID shot may be needed

Dr. Mike Cirigliano from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania weighs in after Moderna's CEO commented on the potential need for a fourth coronavirus vaccine shot.

The CEO of Moderna says that a fourth coronavirus vaccine shot may soon be necessary due to declining efficacy of booster shots.

"I will be surprised when we get that data in the coming weeks that it’s holding nicely over time — I would expect that it’s not going to hold great," Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel told CNBC on Thursday regarding the strength of the booster shots. "I still believe we’re going to need boosters in the fall of ’22 and forward."

Bancel says that the United Kingdom and South Korea have already begun ordering the fourth round of shots. 

RELATED: Why are so many vaccinated people getting COVID-19 lately?

"We have been saying that we believe first this virus is not going away," Bancel said. "We’re going to have to live with it."

Moderna said last month that a booster dose of its COVID-19 vaccine should offer protection against the rapidly spreading omicron variant.

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Current wave of COVID cases could peak this month

Dr. Jeffrey Shaman of Columbia University projects the US will see its peak of new cases during the week of January 16, when the daily average will near 750,000.

Moderna said lab tests showed the half-dose booster shot increased by 37 times the level of so-called neutralizing antibodies able to fight omicron.

RELATED: When will surge of omicron COVID-19 cases ease?

And a full-dose booster was even stronger, triggering an 83-fold jump in antibody levels, although with an increase in the usual side effects, the company said. While half-dose shots are being used for most Moderna boosters, a full-dose third shot has been recommended for people with weakened immune systems.

Fox News' Jacqui Heinrich and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

Read updates at FOXBusiness.com.