German Health Minister Karl Lauterbach estimated on Tuesday March 29 that vaccines suitable for the Omicron variant would not be available in the EU "
until autumn
", arguing for the administration of a new booster for those over 60. years.
Read alsoCovid: Moderna will seek authorization for its vaccine in children aged six months to six years
Arriving at a meeting with his counterparts in Brussels, he said that “
to his knowledge
” the development of these vaccines was “
delayed
”.
"
So I don't expect the new vaccines suitable (for Covid-19 variants) to be available until the fall
," he said, adding that "
September could be a target month
."
"
That's why it's very important that we don't wait for the arrival of the new suitable vaccines to proceed with the fourth vaccination
," he said.
Germany is currently recommending a new booster dose (a fourth dose for those who have received a two-dose Covid vaccine) for people over 70, particularly vulnerable people and healthcare workers.
The German minister wants a recommendation from the European regulator for a “
fourth dose of vaccine in people over 60
”, stressing that according to Israeli data, it reduces mortality by 80%.
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) indicated on March 17 that the available data did not yet allow a new booster dose of anti-Covid vaccines to be recommended for the entire population.
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Vaccination of Ukrainian refugees
In February, Ugur Sahin, the CEO and co-founder of the German laboratory BioNTech, the origin of the first mRNA vaccine against Covid-19, developed with Pfizer, said that the serum adapted to the Omicron variant could be delivered in April or May. .
Moderna had indicated in January that its might be in for approval "
somewhere at summer level
."
Before being placed on the market in the EU, vaccines must be approved by the EMA.
During their meeting in Brussels, the European Ministers of Health must in particular discuss access to care and vaccination for Ukrainian refugees.
“
There are big gaps in vaccination among those coming from Ukraine, not only concerning the anti-Covid vaccine, but also other vaccines
”, commented Karl Lauterbach.
These shortcomings "
must be filled
" but "
they threaten the refugees themselves and not the population
" of Europe, he said.
European Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides assured that the EU had “
enough vaccines to cover (the needs) of Ukrainian refugees
”.
