Biontech’s chief medical officer said that people will likely need a third dose of the two-dose Pfizer Bionic anti-Corona vaccine as immunity to the virus diminishes, according to CNBC

The medical official’s statements coincide with previous statements made by Pfizer CEO Albert Burla.

Dr. Ozlem Torresi, a co-founder of the company Biontech that developed an anti-corona vaccine in cooperation with Pfizer, added that she also expects that people will need to be vaccinated against the Corona virus annually, like seasonal influenza.

She explained, “This is because scientists expected that the immunity caused by the vaccine against the virus will decrease over time, and we see indications of this also in the natural immune response to the virus.”

And she noted that “a decline in immune responses also occurred in people who have just been infected, and therefore a decline in the immune response is also expected for those who have taken the vaccines.”

Torresi’s comments come after Burla said in an interview broadcast on April 15 that people will likely need a “booster dose or a third dose” of the Corona vaccine within 12 months of a full vaccination.

It is also likely that people will need to receive additional doses each year, Burla added.

Pfizer said earlier this month that its anti-corona vaccine was more than 91% effective in protecting against the virus, and more than 95% effective against “severe disease” up to six months after receiving the second dose.

Researchers say they do not know the effectiveness of protection against the virus after six months of full vaccination, while officials and public health experts expect protection to diminish over time.