A new reformulated vaccine could be available early in the new year, says Moderna Executive Paul Burton.
Moderna Inc. Chief Medical Officer Paul Burton said the new omicron coronavirus variant could avoid existing vaccines. If so, a reformulated vaccine could be available early in the new year. “In a few weeks, we should know about the current vaccine’s ability to provide protection. If we have to make a new vaccine, I think it will be in early 2022. What’s remarkable about mRNA vaccines and the Moderna platform is that we can move very quickly,” he said.
Cambridge, Massachusetts-based biotech firm Moderna mobilized “hundreds” of staff Thursday after reports that the omicron variant was spreading. Burton added that depending on how long ago the person was vaccinated, protection should still continue, and for now, the best advice is to get one of the current Covid-19 vaccines.
“If people are undecided and you haven’t been vaccinated, get vaccinated,” Burton said. “This is a virus that looks dangerous, but we have a lot of tools to combat it,” he said.
