Dec 7, 2021 - Health

EU drug regulator backs mixing COVID vaccines

Noah Garfinkel

A health worker administers the Covid-19 vaccine at a Covid-19 vaccination center outside Rome's Termini railway station in Rome, Italy, — A health worker administers the COVID-19 vaccine at a center outside Rome's Termini railway station in Rome, Italy, on Dec. 3. Photo: Alessia Pierdomenico/Bloomberg via Getty Images

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) announced on Tuesday their support for mixing different COVID-19 vaccines in initial vaccinations and booster campaigns.

Why it matters: The announcement comes as several European countries struggle to combat recent surges in COVID-19 cases and amid concerns over the Omicron variant.

Details: The EMA and ECDC said that while research is ongoing, mixing vaccines can "offer flexibility in terms of vaccination options, particularly to reduce the impact on the vaccine rollout should a vaccine not be available for any reason."

They also said that the evidence available "points towards an acceptable tolerability and enhanced immune responses" with mixing vaccines.
"To avoid a resurgence of cases with a possible increase in [hospitalizations] and deaths, EMA and ECDC urge citizens to follow advice at national and European level to protect themselves, and the wider community," they added.

The big picture: The EMA and ECDC noted that several EU member states have already approved the mixing of COVID vaccines.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in October backed mixing vaccines in booster campaigns in the U.S.

Go deeper: Vaccine mandates lose steam in the U.S. while Europe doubles down

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EU drug regulator backs mixing COVID vaccines

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