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Fifth COVID-19 vaccine approved in EU
Fifth COVID-19 vaccine approved in EU
Just yesterday a fifth COVID-19 vaccine was approved by the EU’s drug regulator, as the United States warned of a bleak winter with the Omicron variant causing brand new waves across the world.
Since the variant was first spotted in South Africa back in November, Omicron has been identified in a number of countries and despite preliminary indications that the variant is less severe than the Delta variant, data has shown that Omicron’s transmissibility is higher and it also has a worrying resistance to vaccines.
The European Medicines Agency’s human medicines committee approved the jab called Novavax, which uses a more conventional technology, that the firm (and the world) hopes reduce vaccine hesitancy.
What is Novavax?
The fifth approved vaccine, Novavax, is based on a technology already used in a few approved approved. According to the company, its vaccine showed 90.4% efficacy against the virus COVID-19 in a trial based in North America.
“EMA has recommended granting a conditional marketing authorisation for Novavax’s COVID-19 vaccine Nuvaxovid to prevent COVID-19 in people from 18 years of age,” said the EMA after a meeting at its Amsterdam headquarters.
What about the other vaccines?
Governments across the world are scrambling to roll out booster shots, as early data suggests that the third dose offers increased protection against the Omicron variant, in an attempt to get a handle on the wave.
Yesterday, the company Moderna announced that a full dose of its vaccine given as a booster provides more antibody protection against the variant than the injections that are currently authorised, which are half the strength.
Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel said that the results were reassuring, commenting that the company is set on developing an vaccine that is tailor-made for the Omicron variant.
What do you think of the new approved vaccine?
