UK first country to approve Omicron-targeting vaccine

The British government became on Monday the first country to approve the use of a COVID-19 vaccine customized to protect against the Omicron coronavirus strain. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) authorized Moderna’s updated COVID-19 jab for use in adults older than 18 years, paving the way for a booster campaign this fall.

“This bivalent vaccine has an important role to play in protecting people in the UK from COVID-19 as we enter the winter months,” Moderna’s Chief Executive Stephane Bancel commented on the MHRA’s decision. The vaccine protects both against the original coronavirus strain and the Omicron variant, the agency concluded.