The UK has become the first country to authorise a Covid-19 vaccine tailored to the Omicron variant, setting the stage for an autumn booster campaign using Moderna’s two-strain shot.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Authority — which was the first in the world to approve an original Covid-19 jab — has granted a conditional authorisation to the vaccine, which targets both the original strain of the virus and Omicron BA.1.
The vaccine is authorised for use in people aged 18 or over but the UK plans to focus its booster programme to prepare for rising cases over the winter on the over 50s and those at higher clinical risk of developing severe Covid-19.