THE HAGUE: The European Medicines Agency (EMA) endorsed the application of two vaccines adapted against the Omicron variant of Covid-19 from Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna.

According to reports, the so-called Comirnaty Original/Omicron BA.1 (from Pfizer/BioNTech) and Spikevax Bivalent Original/Omicron BA.1 (from Moderna) will now be submitted to the European Commission for approval. Once approved, the vaccines can be used by individuals aged 12 and older who have received at least primary vaccination against the virus.

Studies, according to the EMA, have shown that the vaccines can cause patients who have already received vaccinations to develop potent immune responses against Omicron BA.1 and the original Covid-19 strain.
The side effects associated with the modified immunizations were often modest and transient and were equivalent to those associated with the original vaccines.

The EU's objective is to have a wide variety of modified vaccines that target various varieties as the pandemic develops so that member states have a variety of options to satisfy their needs when they construct their immunisation strategies.

As it is impossible to foresee how the virus will change in the future and which variations will be circulating this winter, the EMA stated that this is a crucial component of the broader strategy to combat the pandemic.

The EMA is presently reviewing further modified vaccinations that are designed to offer superior protection against other variants, such as the Omicron subvariants BA.4 and BA.5.

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