The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has recommended the approval of the Corona vaccine from Biontech/Pfizer, which has been adapted to the omicron variant, for children over the age of five. This was announced by the EMA in Amsterdam.

The vaccine, adapted for the subvariants BA.4 and BA.5, had already been approved as a booster for people aged 12 and over. The EU Commission still has to approve the recommendation, but that is considered a formality.

The experts expect broader protection against different corona variants. The manufacturers pointed to studies that found strong immune responses against subvariants BA.4 and BA.5 in people over 18 years of age 30 days after vaccination. The adapted vaccine is just as well tolerated and safe as the original preparation.