2 COVID vaccine jabs seem to curb Delta variant: European Medicines Agency

Two doses of Covid vaccine appear to provide protection against the rapidly spreading Delta variant of the coronavirus, the European Medicines Agency said on Thursday.

The upbeat assessment came as the World Health Organisation warned that the variant first spotted in India could fuel a new wave of cases in Europe.

The EMA’s head of vaccine strategy, Marco Cavaleri, said the Amsterdam-based watchdog was “aware of concerns caused by the rapid spread of the Delta variant.”

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“Right now it seems the four vaccines approved in the European Union are protecting against all the strains circulating in Europe, including the Delta variant,” he said.

“Emerging data from real world evidence are showing that two doses of vaccines are protective against the Delta variant.”

Four vaccines are currently approved for use in the EU: Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson.