The European Medicines Agency (EMA) clarified that all current COVID-19 vaccines can provide protection against the new Omicron variant, according to the agency's Director Emer Cooke.
The director's statements came during a meeting for the European Parliament amid the outbreak of Omicron variant worldwide.
She urged all EU officials to encourage people to receive the vaccines, in addition to speeding up the vaccination rollout in some countries that have "dangerously low" immunity levels.
EMA's director said: “From the data we have seen and continue to see, the authorised vaccines continue to save people from severe disease and death," adding: “Even if the new variant becomes more widespread, the vaccines we have will continue to provide protection."
“The effectiveness of these vaccines is waning over time and it’s becoming increasingly clear that we need to extend protection with a booster,” Cooke explained.
She concluded: “We have much more tools to fight the pandemic this winter compared to last winter and vaccines remain the key tool. We have four vaccines authorised and four more than could be authorised soon. Novavax could be authorised within weeks."
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