European drug regulator backs mixing COVID-19 vaccines

The European Union drug regulator has given its backing to mixing different types of vaccines in initial vaccination and booster campaigns to battle the coronavirus

Virus Outbreak France (Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

The European Union drug regulator gave its backing Tuesday to mixing different types of vaccines in initial vaccination and booster campaigns to battle the coronavirus.

The European Medicines Agency said in a statement that using different types of vaccines together, known as heterologous vaccination, can provide protection against COVID-19.

The announcement comes as much of Europe is facing rising infection and hospital rates and concerns about the new omicron variant.

The EMA, together with the European Center for Disease Control, said that a mix-and-match strategy could give nations more options in vaccination campaigns as much of the continent faces rising infection and hospitalization rates.

“The evidence available so far with different types of authorized vaccines indicates that a heterologous booster appears as good as or better in terms of immune responses than a homologous booster,” the agencies said in a statement.