Omicron-Adapted COVID-19 Vaccine: Can Updated Shots Prevent Fall Waves?

The COVID-19 pandemic has a new line of defense in the form of an updated vaccine after the world's first bivalent vaccine was approved in the UK this week. I have.

Bivalent vaccines target two different variants of the same virus.

The new vaccine is still awaiting approval in Canada, and there is no word on when it will land, but Canadian doctors are optimistic about the potential rollout.

12} READ MORE: First UK-approved COVID-19 variant-responsive vaccine

"These updated vaccines are It's a simple tool, but the real game changer will be delivery," said Omar Khan, Ph.D., professor of biomedical engineering and immunology at the University of Toronto.

"As long as we can spread this to many people around the world, we can slow the evolution of the virus and prevent new variants," he told Global News.

On Monday, the UK became the first country to approve a so-called bivalent vaccine by ModernaBooster for adults .

Pfizer and Modernaboth the original variant of the virus and ommicronbivalent vaccines targeting BA.1. I have submitted my application to Health Canada. Subline.

These submissions are currently under review, Health Canada spokesperson Mark Johnson told Global News on Monday. 19 As with vaccine submissions, these are being prioritized for review by a dedicated scientific team," he said in an email.

Canada continues to see a decline in the number of daily COVID-19 cases, but public health officials and other experts are warning that activities should be kept indoors. It warns that infections could spike again in the fall as the virus migrates to

That is why the National Immunization Advisory Committee (NACI) has recommended vaccination this fall. Possible future waves of COVID-19.

Updated vaccines protect against new variants.

Currently, the adult population may be boosted with COVID-19 doses that target the original variant of the virus.

The bivalent vaccine has been updated to include the Omicron BA.1 subvariant, but not BA.5, which currently predominates in Canada and globally.

Therefore, Jun Liu, Ph.D., an infectious disease expert at the University of Toronto and a researcher with the COVID-19 Immunization Task Force, is not confident that new vaccines will have a major impact on preventing falls. Do not have. wave.

"Ideally, the inclusion of the BA.5 variant would be best suited to combat the impending wave of fall," he said.

Nearly Half of Canada's Population Boosted with 3rd Dose About 10 percent received his fourth shot.

READ MORE: COVID-19 — How Bivalent Vaccines Help Protect Against New Variants

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has advised COVID-19 vaccine makers to redesign booster shots tailored to combat Omicron's BA.4 and BA.5 variants. It is recommended to include components that

mRNA vaccines can be easily updated, but demonstrating safety and efficacy in clinical trials is a challenge and will take longer, experts say. The

virus is changing so quickly that this is a "catch-up game," he said, Liu.

"We are basically fighting the virus, but unfortunately we are always lagging behind."

In approving Moderna's bivalent vaccine, the UK drug regulator said the decision was a booster was based on clinical trial data showing that it elicited a "strong immune response" against both Omicron (BA.1) and the original 2020 virus.

Pharmaceuticals and healthcare products regulators also said the shot was good against his Omicron offshoot BA. Cited exploratory analyzes found to generate an immune response.4 and BA.5.

No serious safety concerns were identified with the new formulation, the agency added.

READ MORE: His fourth dose of COVID-19 — what is the extra booster worth?

Based on clinical trial data,Pfizer announced in June that heis currently testing his COVID-19 vaccine.

Preliminary laboratory studies show that the updated vaccine also neutralized he BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants, but to a lesser extent, says Pfizer. said.

Khan hopes the updated vaccine will provide protection against reinfection.

"We hope to see the same level of perseverance with these vaccines as the original version of the vaccine was promising to Delta and even Omicron to some extent," he said. said.

— using files from Reuters

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