The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) have issued a joint statement providing updated public health considerations on the use of the newly authorised adapted COVID-19 vaccines to support the planning of the autumn and winter vaccination campaigns.

The EU has recently extended its arsenal with two new updated vaccines, Comirnaty Original/Omicron BA.1 and Spikevax Bivalent Original/Omicron BA.1. As the virus SARS-CoV-2 continues to evolve, the existing vaccines are being adapted to ensure optimal protection of EU citizens against COVID-19.

The two bivalent formulations for use as a booster dose recently recommended for approval by EMA expand the immunity versus variants of concern, especially Omicron and related sub lineages. Exposing the immune system to contemporary versions of the virus so that it learns and recognizes subsequent variants is key for building up a broader immune response.