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EMA gives green light to another adapted COVID-19 vaccine for Omicron

13/09/2022 09:23

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has given its positive opinion for the approval of another booster vaccine adapted by BioNTech-Pfizer (Comirnaty) to deal with the BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants of the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

“It is another key step in supporting Member States’ autumn/winter vaccination efforts” Commissioner for Health Stella Kyriakides said in a tweet, adding that the authorisation by the European Commission will follow.

On September 1st, EMA gave a positive opinion for the approval of two vaccines by BioNTech-Pfizer (Comirnaty) and Moderna (Spikevax), adapted for the subvariant BA of the Omicron variant.

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and EMA have issued joint recommendation for the use of the adapted vaccines in the vaccination campaigns expected to be held by member states ahead of the coming autumn and winter.

ECDC and EMA recommend that Member States prioritise the vaccination with these boosters of people aged 60 years and above, the immunocompromised, vulnerable people with underlying conditions and pregnant women.