White House: 'BA.5 target' coronavirus vaccine to be released in a few weeks

The White House has announced that an improved vaccine for COVID-19 is expected to be available in the coming weeks.

Assisi Jah, the White House's COVID-19 response coordinator, told NBC on the 18th local time, "The vaccine, which will be released in the coming weeks, is specifically designed to combat the current virus and is expected to be available to all Americans 12 years of age and older. see," he said.

Earlier, the coordinator also mentioned at a recent event that the vaccine would be available between early September and mid-October.

As BA.5, a sub-mutant of the COVID-19 omicron, has become the dominant species not only in the United States but also around the world, the need to develop a new vaccine has been raised.

"Like the flu vaccine that needs to be updated every year, the COVID-19 vaccine must also be continuously updated," said the coordinator.

Earlier in June, the US government directed Pfizer and Moderna to develop an updated vaccine.

Related vaccines target the BA.5 mutation.

Following a contract to purchase 105 million doses from Pfizer, the US government has begun the process of securing a new vaccine, including an agreement to supply 66 million doses of Moderna vaccine last month.

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