The UK has become the first country to approve a specific COVID-19 vaccine that targets both the original strain and a variant of the Omicron virus.

The UK Medicines Regulatory Authority (MHRA) has approved a so-called bivalent vaccine produced by US pharmaceutical company Moderna.

mRNA.O this would be an adult-only booster dose.

The agency’s decision was based on clinical trial data showing that the booster elicited a “strong immune response” against both Omicron (BA.1) and the original strain of the virus.

Mosialos: Vulnerable groups should not be complacent

On behalf of the Professor of Health Policy, School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) and Imperial College London, Elias Mosialoupdated vaccines are positive but targeted at this stage pandemic, in our country, in particular, it should be different.

As he says in a conversation with “K”: “Updated vaccines they will probably help us prevent a mild form of coronavirus. It’s good that they come. Here I must emphasize that existing vaccines continue to work in terms of preventing serious diseases. However, what should really interest us at this stage is that in Greece only 20% of people over 60 and people belonging to vulnerable groups of any age received the fourth dose. They should be at the center of all efforts and should be our No. 1 goal, as the chances of a bad outcome increase in the absence of this dose. People in intensive care units now show that“.

Mr. Mosialos even notes that the refusal to vaccinate these groups of citizens against 2ⁱⁿ booster dose pending updated vaccines.

Gravanis: “Updated vaccines will reduce the spread”

It is also interesting what the professor of pharmacology at the University of Crete said about this. Achilleas Gravanis.

He agrees with Mosialu’s view that existing vaccines, although outdated, give us what we essentially need, that is, enough to protect the elderly and those who have underlying health problems and who are at risk. severe illness and loss of life.

“What has changed is that the new strains of Omicron, and especially those that are now prevalent, namely O4 and O5, evade immunity (natural from infection with previous strains and pharmacological from vaccination) much more easily,” he says himself and continues: “So, while existing vaccines protect us, as I said, from a dangerous severe infection, they allow us to develop a sufficient viral load on the basis of which we infect our neighbors, and thus the spread of the virus continues.”

“Currently, Moderna and Pfizer are testing vaccines against the Omicron O1.12 and later O4 and O5 strains, more likely to limit viral load from today’s new strains and in addition to protecting against severe infection reduce the spread of the virus in society.

»In America, these updated vaccines will be released earlier as the FDA decided to evaluate them in parallel with accelerated clinical trials currently underway. Thus, the updated vaccines are likely to hit the market in America in October, and the rest of the world will follow. In Greece, for more restraint, we can say that they will be with us in November and December..

In any case, according to the professor, people vaccinated with the third dose 6 to 8 months ago, especially those who belong to susceptible and vulnerable groups, should by no means wait for updated vaccines.

As he emphasizes: “They should be vaccinated immediately with the existing ones to protect themselves from severe infection and hospitalization from September.”

Reuters