Washington, Mar 13 (IANS): Pfizer plans to submit data to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on a fourth Covid shot soon, CEO Albert Bourla has said.

The US drugmaker is also working on a vaccine that protects against all coronavirus variants, Bourla told CNBC.

"I think we're going to submit to FDA a significant progress of data about the need for a fourth dose, and they need to make their own conclusions, of course, and then CDC also. It's clear that there is a need in an environment of Omicron to boost the immune response," Bourla was quoted as saying in an interview.

"We are making a vaccine that covers Omicron and all the other variants. There are so many trials that are going on right now, and a lot of them we'll start reading by the end of the month," he added.

Although Covid cases are on the decline and there is some semblance of normal returning, Bourla said: "I think the biggest question of all of us is how to stay ahead of the virus."

He said Pfizer is working on developing a vaccine that prevents infection in addition to preventing hospitalizations and severe cases of the virus, adding that making long-lasting vaccines is also a priority.

"We can't have vaccines every five, six months," Bourla said, adding: "We need to be able to move as soon as possible."