EMA: Covid-19 vaccines authorised in EU protect against all strains, including Delta variant
It seems that the four vaccines authorised in the European Unions protect against all strains of Covid-19, including the Delta variant, it was announced at a European Medicines Agency (EMA) news conference on July 1.
First real-world data suggest that two doses of vaccines protect against the Delta variant, and antibodies from the approved vaccines neutralise this variant, the EMA said.
The EMA has requested all vaccine developers to investigate if their vaccine provides protection against emerging new virus variants. All studies are examined by EMA to conclude on the level of protection that current Covid-19 vaccines offer against new variants, the agency said.
Speeding up vaccination and maintaining public health measures remain essential tools to fight Covid-19, the EMA said.
It is important to ensure that vulnerable and elderly people complete their vaccination course as soon as possible to protect them from further spread of the Delta variant, the agency said.
The EMA said that currently it could not make a recommendation on use of different Covid-19 vaccines for the two doses. It said that interim results from studies in Spain, Germany and the UK show good immune response and no safety concerns. More data are awaited shortly, and the EMA is reviewing data as they become available, it said.
The agency said that it is in touch with vaccine developers to discuss the potential use of a booster dose and to determine the best timing and the best strategy. At this stage it is unclear whether booster doses will be necessary for the Covid-19 vaccines to maintain their protection, the EMA said.
The EMA will review data on the safety and immune response in people who have received a third dose, or a second dose in the case of the Janssen vaccine against Covid-19. These data should be collected over the summer, the agency said.
It said that healthcare professionals should report any side-effects in people having Covid-19 vaccines. Any new data that become available will be assessed by EMA’s safety committee, the agency said.
(Archive photo: Bulgaria’s Military Medical Academy)
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