“Soon to say if and when it will be useful”

by time news

Will a third dose of coronavirus vaccine be necessary? “It is too early to confirm if and when a ‘booster’ dose of the anti covid vaccine will be needed, because there is still not enough data from vaccination campaigns and ongoing studies to understand how long the protection will last” vaccines, “also considering the impact of the spread of Sars-CoV-2 variants”. He said it Marco Cavaleri, Head of Vaccines and Therapeutic Products for Covid-19 of the European Medicines Agency EMA, during the periodic press briefing, talking about the prospect that a third dose of Covid-19 vaccine will be needed. “The EMA will review all data as quickly as possible when they become available,” assured the expert.


Meanwhile, he continues, “we are continuing to constantly monitor the mutations of the Sars-CoV-2 coronavirus and the potential effect on the efficacy of anti-Covid vaccines. Given the rapid spread of the highly contagious Delta variant, which is raising concern not only in Europe. but in the world, it is extremely important to vaccinate as many people as possible in Europe according to national recommendations. ”

The expert recalled what the Agency had already stressed yesterday, together with the ECDC, the European Center for Disease Control and Prevention, namely the importance of “completing the vaccination cycle” as quickly as possible, in order to have adequate protection against the Delta variant.

“Let me reiterate – he added – that all 4 Covid vaccines authorized in the European Union provide high protection against all strains currently circulating in the EU, especially against serious illness and hospitalization. However, preliminary data suggest, as expected, that both doses of vaccines such as Comirnaty * “by Pfizer / BioNTech,” Moderna’s vaccine or Vaxzevria * “by AstraZeneca” are needed to provide adequate protection against the Delta variant “. And it is “important that people complete the vaccination course as soon as possible, while also keeping the interval between the two doses close to the shortest that has been recommended”.

Cavaleri then underlines that it is however “premature” to express “the need for a vaccine with a different composition to deal with the emerging variants” of the Sars-CoV-2 coronavirus. “However, work is already underway to study ad hoc vaccines for variants and the EMA is actively engaged with the manufacturers to start development plans that can provide sufficient clinical data for any future regulatory action if it becomes necessary” .

“The Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency EMA is currently considering an application to extend the use of Spikevax *,” Moderna’s Covid vaccine, “to young people aged 12 and 17. We expect to reach a decision at the end of next week, “he added during the meeting.

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