CDC Director: Annual COVID-19 Shots After Booster Not Expected

Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, testifies during a Senate hearing on the federal COVID-19 response in Washington, on March 18, 2021. Susan Walsh/Pool/Getty Images

The director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said an annual COVID-19 booster shot isn’t anticipated, suggesting that a third dose may adequately strengthen the long-term protection of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines.

When asked about the need for annual booster doses, Dr. Rochelle Walensky said, “I don’t want to say never, but we are not necessarily anticipating that you will need this annually.”