September 3, 2022 18:46
Today, Saturday, the Medicines Regulatory Authority in Britain announced that it had approved a new generation of vaccine against Covid-19, produced by “Pfizer” and “Biontech” companies, targeting the mutant Omicron of the emerging corona virus.
This version of the vaccine consists of a “bivalent” booster dose that targets the original strain of the virus and the mutant omicron (BA.1), the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said in a statement.
The agency approved the use of this vaccine in booster doses for those 12 years of age and older, after “a careful review of the evidence”.
Last month, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency approved a similar “bivalent” vaccine from Moderna, becoming the first country to do so.
“I am pleased to announce that we now have a second approved vaccine for our autumn booster program in the UK,” said John Ryan, Executive Director of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency.
The National Health Service in England and Scotland will introduce the booster vaccine on Monday, to be received first by residents of care homes, until everyone over the age of 50 is invited to receive the vaccine.
Wales and Northern Ireland will also launch similar campaigns.
And the BBC reported, today, Saturday, that Moderna’s “bivalent” vaccine would be provided first, but added that the United Kingdom did not have enough stocks to cover everyone over 50.
These new Pfizer-Biontech and Moderna vaccines have been licensed in recent days by the United States and the European Medicines Agency. It also targets two rapidly spreading Omicron sub-mutants, BA.4 and BA.5.
Source: Reuters
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