European Union health ministers will try to find common ground today on a possible fourth dose of COVID-19 vaccine amid rising cases of the Omicron variant.
The European Drug Regulatory Authority announced earlier this week that it would make sense to give a fourth dose to people with severely weakened immune systems, but more data is needed.
The ministers will discuss the “fourth tranche”, according to a press release issued by the French EU presidency, which hosted a last-minute teleconference of health ministers.
Hungary and Denmark, EU member states, have already decided to make a fourth dose of COVID vaccine available. Copenhagen announced that the measure will concern the most vulnerable, while the Hungarian government said that everyone will be able to make this dose after consulting their doctor.
The fourth installment was launched in Israel last month, with the country becoming the first to issue a so-called second boost.
The richer states have decided to speed up the release of the third installments amid a wave of new cases caused by the most contagious Omicron variant, but remain divided over the fourth. Many countries consider that more information is needed before a decision can be made on this issue.
The French Presidency stated that the aim of the teleconference was to find a common approach at European level to vaccination strategies.
The online meeting will also discuss the coordination of other COVID policies, including a possible new joint vaccine supply, as “vaccines adapted to the variants are coming soon,” the French presidency said.
Vaccines adapted to Omicron may be ready as early as March, but the European Drug Regulatory Authority has said it is not yet clear if they will be needed.
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