UK :1st country to approve Omicron Vaccine

August 16, 2022

The United Kingdom has authorized the first ever covid-19 vaccine for Omicron variant. It is the first country to do so. Authorization of vaccine will now pave ways for autumn booster campaign using two-strain shot of Moderna.

Highlights:

Conditional authorisation for the vaccine was granted by “Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Authority”. It was also the first authority worldwide, to approve the original Covid-19 vaccine.
Authorized vaccine caters to original as well as Omicron BA.1 strain of the coronavirus.
It has been authorised for use among people aged above 18.
Now UK will focus on its booster programme for people aged over 50 and who are highly vulnerable to developing Covid.

About Omicron Variant:

Omicron B.1.1.529 is a variant of SARS-CoV-2. Network for Genomics Surveillance had first reported this variant in South Africa in November 2021. The first case was detected in Botswana and has now spread across the world to become a predominant variant in circulation. Apart from the original BA.1 variant, many subvariants viz., BA.2, BA.3, BA.4, and BA.5 have emerged over time. In order to protect against severe disease and hospitalisation caused due to BA.1 and BA.2 variants of Omicron, 3 doses of covid-19 vaccine are provided. BA.4 and BA.5 variants are more infectious as compared to other subvariants.

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