Covid-19: EU Commission authorises vaccine adapted to new variants

The European Commission authorises the Comirnaty XBB.1.5-adapted Covid-19 vaccine, developed by BioNTech-Pfizer. It is the “third adaptation of this vaccine to respond to new Covid-19 variants”. This has been announced earlier today by the EU Commission in a statement. The vaccine is “authorised for adults, children and infants above 6 months”. In line with the previous recommendations of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), “adults and children from 5 years of age who require vaccination should have a single dose”, regardless of their Covid-19 vaccination history. “I welcome this very timely authorisation of the updated COVID vaccine, which will target emerging and spreading variants. COVID-19 will circulate in parallel to seasonal influenza during the upcoming autumn and winter season, and we need to be ready. This potential double threat will put vulnerable people at increased risk and place further pressure on hospitals and healthcare workers. Vaccination is our most effective tool against both viruses, and therefore I encourage everyone eligible, especially the most vulnerable, to follow the scientific recommendations and get vaccinated as soon as possible”, the EU Commissioner for Health, Stella Kyriakides, stated. Such authorisation comes after “a stringent evaluation” by EMA under the Accelerated Assessment mechanism.Valentina Bombelli