Brussels, 15 September 2023 (dpa/MIA) - The European Commission approved on Friday an additional adapted Covid-19 vaccine to respond to the Omicron subvariant XBB.1.5.

The Spikevax XBB.1.5-adapted vaccine developed by Moderna was authorized in time for seasonal vaccination campaigns in European Union member states, a news release said.

The EU's health authorities recommend adults and children from 5 years of age who require vaccination to take a single dose, irrespective of their Covid-19 vaccination history, the commission said.

The approval comes after "a stringent evaluation of the vaccine under the accelerated assessment mechanism" by the European Medicines Agency, the statement said.

An updated version of the Covid-19 vaccine developed by BioNTech-Pfizer was also recently approved.

Photo: MIA archive