EU approves Pfizer-BioNTech COVID vaccine booster

European Medicines Agency (EMA) approved the booster doses of Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine for people aged 18 and above on October 4, 2021.

Key Facts

• This approval given as data for the vaccine showed a rise in antibody levels when a booster shot was administered to the people aged 18 to 55, approximately six months after the second dose.
• Thus, the agency has recommended to administer booster doses after six months of second dose.
• It also recommended for an extra dose of Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna vaccines for people with severely weakened immune systems.
• Extra dose of these vaccines boosts the ability, of organ transplant patients with weakened immune systems, of producing antibodies against the SARS-cov-2 virus.
• As per EMA, extra dose will be given at least 28 days after second dose to the severely immune-compromised people.

European Medicines Agency (EMA)

EMA is an agency of European Union (EU) charged with the evaluation and supervision of medicinal products. It as earlier known as European Medicines Evaluation Agency (EMEA). EMA was set in 1995, with financial support from European Union and pharmaceutical industry.

Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine

It is an mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccine developed by BioNTech in collaboration with the American company Pfizer. Pfizer provided its support for clinical trials, logistics, and manufacturing. Vaccine is authorized for use in people aged twelve years and more. It is given by intramuscular injection. Vaccine is composed of nucleoside-modified mRNA which also encodes a mutated form of spike protein of SARS-CoV-2.

Month: Current Affairs - October, 2021