Vaccines designed to target Ômicron, a new variant of SARS-CoV-2, can be approved in three to four months if necessary, the head of the European Union’s drug regulator said on Tuesday.
While vaccines have so far proved “effective against circulating variants”, there is a need to “understand whether or not this will be the case” with Ômicron, said Emer Cooke, Executive Director of the European Medicines Agency (EMA), to European Parliament.
A two-week laboratory testing process must first occur to establish whether the current crop of vaccines offers protection against Omicron, Cooke said.
Health officials will also have to consider how the European situation compares to South Africa, Cooke said, noting that some of the key factors are the older age of the European population in Europe, the availability of vaccines and the use of booster doses. .
If there is a need to change current vaccines, companies will have to adapt their formulations to include the new sequencing, Cooke said. She added that the EMA is working with pharmaceutical companies and other regulators to ensure they are “as prepared and ready as possible.”
If there is a need to change existing vaccines, we may be in a position to have them approved within three to four months,” said Cooke.
Cooke also emphasized “that current vaccines provide protection”.
She also reinforced the importance of moving forward with the rollout of reinforcement across the block so that those eligible for additional protection receive it.
Reference: CNN Brasil
