Britain has authorised an updated COVID-19 vaccine that directly targets the Omicron strain of the virus, becoming the first country in the world to do so. Rob Harris reports from London
Britain has become the first country to authorise an updated coronavirus vaccine that directly targets the Omicron strain of the virus, as it begins planning for a nationwide northern autumn booster campaign.– has granted a conditional authorisation to the vaccine, made by Moderna, which targets both the original strain of the virus and Omicron BA.1.
“The first generation of COVID-19 vaccines being used in the UK continue to provide important protection against the disease and save lives. What this bivalent vaccine gives us is a sharpened tool in our armoury to help protect us against this disease as the virus continues to evolve,” she said. The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, the UK government’s vaccine adviser, stressed that getting a booster before the winter season was more important than the type of shot received. It said that a shot tailored to BA.4/ 5 was unlikely to be approved and readily available by the northern autumn.
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