The UK has become the first country to approve a dual vaccine which tackles both the original Covid virus and the newer Omicron variant. The decision by the drugs regulator means the vaccine should be available as an autumn booster. However, exactly how many doses are available and who will get them has yet to be announced.
The original vaccines used in the pandemic were designed to train the body to fight the first form of the virus that emerged in Wuhan, in China, at the end of 2019. The Covid virus has since mutated substantially, with a stream of new variants emerging that can dodge some of our immune defences. They have caused large surges in cases around the world.
Moderna’s vaccine targets both the original strain and the first Omicron variant (BA.1), which emerged last winter. It is known as a bivalent vaccine as it takes aim at two forms of Covid.
The results of experiments on 437 people showed the updated vaccine was safe and gave better immune protection against newer variants. Levels of antibodies that were able to stick to and disable Omicron (BA.1) were eight times higher with the new vaccine than Moderna’s old one. Tests against more recent Omicron variants (BA.4 and BA.5), which are causing the UK’s current wave, also showed higher levels of protection with the updated vaccine.
However, while there is better protection against known variants, it is uncertain what we will be facing in the coming months and exactly how well the updated vaccine will perform.
Good news … and not so good … 