Covid: Adapted vaccines from September

2023-08-29 22:04:00

According to a report in the German “Ärzte-Zeitung”, the manufacturer Biontech informed the newspaper that its vaccine should be delivered in September, subject to official approval. The US manufacturer Moderna is also said to have such an adapted vaccine.

Biontech and Pfizer have adapted their vaccine to the omicron variant XBB.1.5, and the currently circulating variant EG.5 is also derived from XBB. The US company Moderna told the newspaper that it would launch the mRNA vaccine “in time for the fall vaccination season” and subject to approval. This vaccine is also adapted to the omicron variant XBB.

According to the German “Ärzte-Zeitung”, both manufacturers want to deliver the vaccines in single-dose containers for the first time. In Austria, however, “priority no monodoses” are planned for the time being, according to the local association of vaccine manufacturers (ÖVIH) to the APA. So far, the vaccines have been delivered in vials with multiple doses and only a limited shelf life after opening.