A new vaccine which protects against two strains of covid has been approved for the NHS to use this autumn

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

A second “bivalent” coronavirus vaccine has been approved by the UK’s health watchdog ahead of a series of booster jabs this autumn.

The regulator confirmed the Pfizer/BioNTech’s vaccine had met its standards of safety, quality and effectiveness. The vaccine is called 'bivalent' because it targets both the original strain of coronavirus and the Omicron variant that emerged at the end of 2021, and follows a similar booster from Moderna which was approved in August. READ MORE Dr June Raine, MHRA chief executive, said: “I am pleased to announce that we now have a second approved vaccine for the UK autumn booster programme.

The clinical trial of the Pfizer/BioNTech bivalent vaccine showed a strong immune response against the Omicron BA.1 variant as well as the original strain. “Bivalent vaccines are helping us to meet the challenge of an ever-evolving virus, to help protect people against Covid-19 variants.” Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay said: “Our vaccination programme has already saved countless lives, but it is absolutely vital we are not complacent as winter approaches.

I have therefore accepted the advice of the independent Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) to add a Pfizer bivalent vaccine to our autumn Covid booster rollout. “Along with the Moderna bivalent vaccine, this safe and effective vaccine will target two different variants – Omicron and the original Covid strain.