The CEO of Pfizer has said people might need a booster dose of COVID-19 vaccine within 12 months of getting fully vaccinated, as well as an annual revaccination for protection against variants of the coronavirus.

Those comments from CEO Albert Bourla were made during an event April 1 and made public Thursday, according to CNBC.

CNBC also reported that Moderna CEO Stephane Bansel said his company is producing a booster that will be available in the fall.

In February, Pfizer announced the beginning of a study of the safety of a third dose of its vaccine to understand the effect of a booster on immunity against COVID-19 caused by the newly emerging COVID variants.

Neither the Pennsylvania Department of Health nor Butler Health System would comment Friday on the reported possible need for booster shots as the number of people getting vaccinated in the state has exceeded 100,000 per day.

The department reported that 2,637,654 people are fully vaccinated and the seven-day average of people getting vaccinated per day is 103,600. A total of 6,885,169 doses have been administered including 4,514,929 first and single doses and 2,370,240 second doses.

Locally, 17,474 people in the county are partially vaccinated and 54,694 are fully vaccinated.

BHS said all residents ages 16 and older can now sign up for vaccinations, and should do so because the coronavirus continues to spread in the community. Appointments can be scheduled at www.butlerhealthsystem.org.

Also Friday, the department reported 34 new cases in the county increased the total number to 10,256 and 5,650 new cases across the state increased the statewide total to 1,098,502 since the beginning of the pandemic.

No new deaths occurred in the county, but 56 new deaths in the state raised the statewide total to 25,622.

Butler Memorial Hospital is treating 16 COVID patients including one in the intensive care unit.

Statewide, 2,577 people are hospitalized including 572 in intensive care. The 14-day average number of people hospitalized per day is about 3,700 lower than it was at the peak in December 2020 and below what it was at the height of the spring peak in May 2020, but it is increasing, the department said.

About 27,149 of the cases in the state are among health care workers.

In licensed nursing and personal care homes, 70,063 residents and 14,565 employees have COVID. Of the deaths in the state, 13,026 have been residents of nursing or personal care facilities.

The following numbers on the coronavirus pandemic were compiled from regular news releases from the state Department of Health and the Butler Health System.COVID-19 statistics from Friday are:<b>Butler County</b>Confirmed cases: 10,256Probable cases: 5,897Negative tests: 50,130Deaths: 398<b>Butler Memorial Hospital</b>Inpatients: 16Suspected: 1Confirmed: 15ICU: 1Total tests: 44,917Outdoor tests: 17,656Positive tests: 3,341<b>Clarion Hospital</b>Inpatients: 2Suspected: 0Confirmed: 2ICU: 2Total tests: 12,837Outdoor tests: 10,864Positive tests: 2,058<b>Pennsylvania</b>New cases: 5,650Total cases: 1,098,502New deaths: 56Total deaths: 25,622Recovered: 89%<b>Surrounding Counties</b>Allegheny: 71,017 confirmed cases; 391,711 negative; and 1,866 deathsArmstrong: 4,302 confirmed; 16,115 negative; and 122 deathsBeaver: 11,604 confirmed; 49,259 negative; and 365 deathsClarion: 1,881 confirmed; 8,595 negative; and 89 deathsLawrence: 5,109 confirmed; 19,496 negative; and 200 deathsMercer: 6,943 confirmed; 28,972 negative; and 251 deathsVenango: 2,889 confirmed; 11,245 negative; and 91 deathsWestmoreland: 21,399 confirmed; 93,498 negative; and 720 deaths