EU to revaccinate people with weak immunity

The European Union's drugs regulator said on Monday people with weakened immune systems should get a third dose of a COVID-19 vaccine from Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna, but left it to member states to decide if the wider population should have a booster.

Report informs, citing Reuters, that the long-awaited guidance comes after several EU member states pre-empted the European Medicines Agency's (EMA) opinion and launched their own booster campaigns, although they vary widely over who is eligible. read more

The EMA said people with a severely weakened immune system should be given a third dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna (MRNA.O) vaccines - both based on so-called mRNA technology - at least 28 days after their second one.

Many treatments for cancer patients or for people with organ transplants suppress the immune system, making them particularly vulnerable to a coronavirus infection with reduced help offered from vaccines.

Results from Italian studies released on Monday showed COVID-19 vaccines are less effective on people with weakened immune systems. read more

The EMA also said a booster shot of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine could be considered for adults with normal immune systems around six months after the second dose, but added that was up to individual countries.