BRIEF-EMA Sees New Wave Of COVID19 Cases In Many Countries In The EU

European Medicines Agency: * EMA: SEEING A NEW WAVE OF COVID19 CASES IN MANY COUNTRIES IN THE EU, AS OMICRON VARIANTS BA.4 AND BA.5 ARE HIGHLY TRANSMISSIBLE

* EMA: PEOPLE BETWEEN 60-79 YEARS OLD, MEDICALLY VULNERABLE PERSONS OF ANY AGE SHOULD ALSO RECEIVE SECOND BOOSTER DOSE WHEN INFECTION RATES GO UP * EMA: BIVALENT MRNA VACCINES THAT COMBINE TWO STRAINS OF SARS-COV-2, ONE OF WHICH IS OMICRON STRAIN, APPEAR TO OFFER EVEN WIDER IMMUNE RESPONSE

* EMA: CURRENTLY EVALUATING INITIAL DATA THAT MRNA VACCINES MANUFACTURERS HAVE SUBMITTED FOR REVIEW * EMA: ALSO IN CLOSE CONTACT WITH MANUFACTURERS OF VACCINES BASED ON DIFFERENT PLATFORMS OTHER THAN MRNA, ESPECIALLY ADJUVANTED PROTEIN VACCINES

* EMA: PRELIMINARY DATA FROM TRIALS SHOW ADAPTED MRNA VACCINES WHICH INCORPORATE OMICRON VARIANT STRAIN CAN RAISE & EXTEND PROTECTION, WHEN USED AS BOOSTER * EMA- WE ARE WORKING TOWARDS APPROVAL OF ADAPTED COVID19 VACCINES IN SEPTEMBER

* EMA: COULD MOVE TO FRAMEWORK SIMILAR TO INFLUENZA SHOTS FOR COVID VACCINE THAT WON'T NEED CLINICAL DATA SUBMISSION BEFORE APPROVAL BASED ON STRENGTH OF DATA * EMA- EMA'S HUMAN MEDICINES COMMITTEE CHMP IS NOW REVIEWING DATA TO EXTEND USE OF SMALLPOX VACCINE IMVANEX FOR MONKEYPOX