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December 21, 2021 "One year after the first approval of the vaccine I would not have believed we were still in an epidemic, but as you all know the epidemiological situation remains extremely worrying in Europe and the Omicron variant has become the predominant variant in an increasing number of countries" EMA executive director Emer Cooke said at a press conference. 



"With five vaccines and six treatments we are much better prepared than last year - he added - and we are ready to adapt vaccines and treatments if necessary". Cooke then called for "increased vaccinations and booster doses".



Still no answer as to whether vaccines will have to be adapted to Omicron


 According to the EMA, there is "yet an answer" as to whether or not vaccine manufacturers will have to adapt their Covid vaccines to counter the Omicron variant. "Let me stress that, there is still no answer as to whether we will need to. to adapt a vaccine with a different composition to address Omicron or any other variant, "EMA executive director Emer Cooke said at a news conference. 



"It is clear that there is decline in vaccine efficacy"


 "The incoming data is by no means definitive, but it is clear that there is a decline in the effectiveness" of the vaccines against the Omicron variant, explains in his interview with the Financial Times, Emer Cooke, the director of the European Medicines Agency. However, preliminary evidence also shows that a third dose of mRNA vaccines can at least partially restore antibody levels, the FT article explains, reporting the latest of the studies published by Moderna on the efficacy of the booster dose.



Cooke then said that so far "AstraZeneca has not formally requested that its vaccine be used as a booster in the EU".

According to the director of the EMA it is crucial not to stop the vaccination campaign and to verify the effectiveness of vaccines we must "let the science take its course".

Regarding the decision on whether or not to use targeted vaccines for Omicron Cooke explains that it will be made "when there is sufficient scientific evidence that the current vaccines do not work sufficiently".