European Regulator Recommends Reducing Interval Between 1st, 2nd COVID-19 Shots

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) on Wednesday issued a joint update on COVID-19, recommending that EU countries consider reducing the interval between the first and second vaccine shots

BRUSSELS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 04th August, 2021) The European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) on Wednesday issued a joint update on COVID-19, recommending that EU countries consider reducing the interval between the first and second vaccine shots.

"As vaccination campaigns gather pace across the EU/EEA [European Economic Area], it may be advisable in some cases to consider reducing the interval between first and second doses, within the authorised limits, particularly for people at risk of severe COVID-19 who have not completed the recommended vaccine schedule," the statement read.

The regulators also strongly recommended that Europeans get fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

"These COVID-19 vaccines are very effective. However, as long as the virus continues to circulate, we will continue to see breakthrough infections in vaccinated people. This does not mean that the vaccines are not working. Vaccinated people are far better protected against severe COVID-19 than unvaccinated people, and we should all endeavour to be fully vaccinated at the earliest opportunity," Fergus Sweeney, the EMA head of Clinical Studies and Manufacturing, said.

The EMA has so far approved four COVID-19 vaccines Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson.