Omicron vaccine to be ready in March, Pfizer hopes

Pfizer Inc is likely to start the production of a redesigned COVID-19 vaccine against the Omicron variant of the coronavirus in March after getting approval.

Albert Bourla, the chief executive of Pfizer Inc, came up with the hope while speaking at the JP Morgan Healthcare Conference on Monday, reports Reuters.

He said the company could be ready to file for approval for a redesigned vaccine and start producing it as soon as March.

Bourla mentioned that moving toward a redesigned COVID-19 vaccine that is specifically targeted to combat the Omicron variant of the coronavirus is the "most likely scenario."

He said Pfizer and partner BioNTech SE are working on both an Omicron-targeted vaccine variant as well as a shot that would include both the previous vaccine as well as vaccine targeted at the Omicron variant.