THE UK has become the first country in the world to approve a booster jab targeting the Omicron variant.

Moderna has developed the landmark bivalent Spikevax as coronavirus cases continue to fall in the UK.

This comes after the EU's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) pushed back its delivery of the dose to later in 2022 while it awaits approval.

The dose has been authorised to be given to people aged 18 or over with some groups, like people over 50, being entitled to some form of booster this autumn.

It was reported this week that there had been 50,414 cases in the last seven days, a 23.7 per cent drop from last week, according to government figures.

"What this bivalent vaccine gives us is a sharpened tool in our armoury to help protect us against this disease as the virus continues to evolve", MHRA chief executive June Raine said.

Stephane Bancel, CEO of Moderna, welcomed the news, saying it "represents the first authorisation of an Omicron-containing bivalent vaccine".

"This bivalent vaccine has an important role to play in protecting people in the UK from Covid-19 as we enter the winter months," Bancel added.

Moderna said that it "expects further authorization decisions in the next few weeks" from Canada and Australia. Professor Sir Munir Pirmohamed, chair of the Commission on Human

Medicines, agreed with the MHRA's decision, saying: "This novel bivalent vaccine represents the next step in the development of vaccines to combat the virus."

In the UK, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation has recommended that care home residents, the over-65s, frontline health and social care workers and vulnerable younger people should be eligible for the next round of autumn vaccines.

(c) 2022 City A.M., source Newspaper