The administration of two doses of the vaccine is essential to protect against the Delta variant of the coronavirus, the European regulator said on Wednesday, calling on European Union member states to speed up their vaccination programs.
"Preliminary data suggests that the two doses of the Covid-19 vaccine (...) are necessary to provide adequate protection against the Delta variant," the European Medicines Agency (EMA) said in a statement.
"Compliance with the recommended vaccination schedule is essential to benefit from the highest level of protection," added the EMA.
90% of cases by the end of August
The Delta variant of the coronavirus will account for 90% of Covid-19 cases by the end of August, the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) said in a statement.
However, according to the ECDC, in more than ten countries of the European Union, almost 30% or more of people over the age of 80 have not yet completed the recommended vaccination program.
"It is essential that countries speed up their immunization program, including the administration of second doses when recommended, as well as fill in the gaps and curb the opportunities for the emergence of variants as quickly as possible", stressed the EMA.
The European regulator recommends the administration of two doses for the vaccines Comirnaty (Pfizer), Spikevax (Moderna) and Vaxzevria (AstraZeneca).
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