SWITZERLAND- According to the Swiss medicine authority Swissmedic, the country’s first bivalent Covid-19 booster vaccine has been provisionally permitted.
Swissmedic has said that Moderna’s COVID-19 mRNA-1273.214 vaccine, known as Spikevax, is the first COVID-19 vaccine to contain messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) against two coronavirus subtypes known as BA.1 and BA.4/5.
The second round of booster shots can be administered to anyone who is at least 18 years old and is expected to better target Omicron sub-variants.
“In trials, a booster dose with this bivalent vaccine demonstrated higher antibody concentrations against the Omicron variants than a booster with Spikevax, with comparable side effects,” the agency said.
Plans to provide the vaccine to Swiss citizens will now be developed by federal vaccination and public health experts. The dosage is given as a single 0.5 ml dose (50 micrograms).
The Swiss regulatory body claims that adverse reactions like fever, headaches and muscle pains are “similar to those reported following administration of the second dosage (100 micrograms) or the booster (50 micrograms) of the original vaccination.”
The original Moderna vaccination gave some protection against the early COVID-19 strains Alpha and Delta but not against Omicron or its sub-variants, which are now responsible for all coronavirus infections found in Switzerland.
According to Swissmedic, their analysis demonstrates that the booster shot satisfies all safety, effectiveness, and quality criteria.
Trials have revealed that this induces a greater immune response against the Omicron types BA.1 and BA.4/5 than the original vaccination, according to Swissmedic.
In line with recommendations made by European and American regulators, a World Health Organization (WHO) expert panel of advisers suggested that nations take into account administering a second COVID-19 booster dose to elderly, immunocompromised, and at-risk individuals.
UK was the first nation to approve a bivalent COVID-19 booster vaccination, which protects against both the original COVID-19 virus and the Omicron strain.
In line with recommendations made by European and American regulators, a World Health Organization (WHO) expert panel of advisers suggested that nations take into account administering a second COVID-19 booster dose to elderly, immunocompromised, and at-risk individuals.
The WHO’s Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE) amended its recommendations for a second booster dose of the vaccine for all older individuals, using age-specific cutoffs to be established by each nation.
Pregnant women and healthcare professionals were among the persons with comorbidities who were advised to receive a second booster shot.
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