EU Regulator Warns Of COVID-19 Rise In "cold Winter," Urges Revaccination Efforts

Sumaira FH Published November 25, 2022 | 01:20 PM

THE HAGUE, Nov. 24 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 25th Nov, 2022 ) --:The EU's medicines regulator on Thursday urged Europe to prepare for a new wave of COVID-19 as "cold winter months" arrive.

"Over the last weeks we have not seen a major increase in COVID-19 case rates in the EU as a result of rising immunity following vaccinations and natural infections," Marco Cavaleri, head of Health Threats and Vaccines Strategy of the European Medicines Agency (EMA), told an online press briefing.

"However, this could change rapidly as we are getting into the cold winter months," Cavaleri said.

"This virus is maintaining a fast pace in its evolution and new subvariants of Omicron such as BQ.1.1 and its offsprings are on the rise and replacing Omicron BA.5."These strains show "an increased propensity for immune evasion and growth advantage," he noted, expressing concern that new subvariants like BQ.1.1 are "escaping neutralization by the currently available monoclonal antibody products