The UK has become the first country to approve a dual vaccine, targeting the original Covid19 virus and the newer Omicron variant.
The updated vaccine will provide better protection against the latest versions of the new coronavirus. Manufacturer Moderna said it could start supplying cans in the coming weeks.
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Health officials stress that people should not take booster shots because all vaccines offer protection.
The original vaccines used in the pandemic were intended to train the body to fight the first form of the virus, which emerged in Wuhan, China, in late 2019.
Since then, the novel coronavirus has mutated significantly, with an influx of new variants capable of bypassing some of our immune defences. They caused major outbreaks around the world.
New version of vaccine shows more effectiveness against Omicron
Moderna’s vaccine targets both the original strain and the first Omicron variant (BA.1). It is known as a bivalent vaccine because it aims to fight two forms of Covid.
The UK regulator for medicines and healthcare products has evaluated the tests and approved the vaccine for use in adults.
June Raine, executive director of the regulator, said: “The first generation of vaccines against Covid19 continue to provide important protection against the disease and save lives. What this bivalent vaccine gives us is a sharp tool in our arsenal to help protect ourselves from disease as the virus evolves.”
The results of the tests, carried out on 437 people, showed that the updated vaccine is safe and offers better immune protection against the newer variants.
Levels of antibodies able to attach to and deactivate Omicron (BA.1) were higher in people who received the new vaccine. Tests against newer variants of the Omicron (BA.4 and BA.5) have also shown that they have a higher level of protection with the updated vaccine.
However, it is uncertain what lies ahead in the coming months and how the updated vaccine will fare.
Stéphane Bancel, Moderna’s chief executive, said he was “delighted” with the approval of the vaccine.
He said: “This represents the first approval of a bivalent vaccine containing an omicron. This bivalent vaccine plays an important role in protecting people in the UK from Covid19 as we enter the winter months.”
In the UK, health and social workers will receive some reinforcement; people aged 50 and over; carers over 16 years old; People over the age of 5 whose health puts them at greater risk (this includes pregnant women; and people over the age of 5 sharing a home with someone with a compromised immune system.
Originally, people between the ages of 50 and 65 should not be vaccinated. However, due to the rapid spread of variants, the uncertainty of whether the virus will mutate and the expectation that we will be more social this winter than in previous years, the vaccination campaign has been expanded and given the virus more chances to spread.
Moderna isn’t the only company updating its vaccines. Pfizer has also developed immunizations to combat the micron.
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