EU health agencies have recommended that COVID-19 vaccines be mixed and matched for both initial courses and booster doses as the region battles rising cases ahead of Christmas.
Evidence suggests that the combination of viral vector vaccines and mRNA vaccines produces good levels of antibodies against the coronavirus causing COVID-19, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) said in a joint statementon Tuesday.
Such an approach “may offer flexibility in terms of vaccination options, particularly to reduce the impact on the vaccine rollout should a vaccine not be available for any reason”, the EMA and ECDC said, while urging people to get fully vaccinated.
Their endorsement comes after a major study on Monday said a first dose of AstraZeneca (AZN.L) or Pfizer-BioNTech (PFE.N), (22UAy.DE) shots followed by a Moderna (MRNA.O) vaccine nine weeks later induced a better immune response.
However, the EMA and ECDC said more research was needed to support the use of mixing and matching in people with weak immune systems, such as older people and those with chronic conditions like cancer, and for two-dose mRNA vaccine regimens.
Longevity of protection offered by vaccines has been under scrutiny and the world is scrambling to trace the Omicron variant as governments impose fresh restrictions.—Agencies
