(Reuters) – The advisory committee to the European Union’s drug regulator on Friday said it has recommended reducing the interval between the second dose and booster dose of Moderna Inc’s COVID-19 vaccine from six months to three months.
Several countries including Greece and France have previously shortened the interval between the first two doses and the booster dose of COVID-19 vaccines, in the face of rising cases due to the Omicron variant. Some also authorised a fourth shot for the vulnerable.
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) in December said data supported safe and effective administration of a booster as early as three months after a two-shot regimen, without changing the six month recommendation.
The EMA’s human medicines committee (CHMP) on Thursday also backed the use of Moderna’s vaccine, Spikevax, in children aged 6 to 11. The vaccine is already approved for use in adults and children aged 12 and over in Europe.
In the United States, Spikevax is authorised as a primary two-dose regimen and booster dose for adults 18 years and older and country’s health regulator last month shortened the interval between the primary series and booster to five months from six.
The CHMP on Friday also recommended authorising the use of Spikevax as a booster dose for adults who have had another COVID-19 vaccine, according to an update on its website.
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