EU drug regulator okays 3rd dose of Pfizer for over 18s The EMA also backed a booster shot of both mRNA Covid vaccines for those with weak immune systems

AMSTERDAM/PARIS: The European Union’s drug regulator gave its backing on Monday to administering booster shots of the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine for people 18 and older.

The European Medicines Agency said the booster doses “may be considered at least 6 months after the second dose for people aged 18 years and older”.

The agency’s human medicines committee issued the recommendation after studying data for the Pfizer vaccine that showed a rise in antibody levels following boosters given around 6 months after the second dose in people from 18 to 55 years old.

The agency also said it supports giving a third dose of either the Pfizer-BioNTech or the Moderna vaccine to people with severely weakened immune systems at least 28 days after their second shot. The agency said its decision came after studies showed that an extra dose of the vaccines increased people’s ability to produce antibodies against the virus that causes Covid-19 in organ transplant patients with weakened immune systems.

“Although there is no direct evidence that the ability to produce antibodies in these patients protected against Covid-19, it is expected that the extra dose would increase protection at least in some patients,” the agency said in a statement.

The World Health Organization’s chief had urged wealthy nations not to use booster doses this year, saying there is no scientific data that proves the shots are necessary.

He said Covid-19 vaccines would be put to better use in developing countries, where many people still have not received their first vaccine shots.

Lowest weekly global toll

The weekly number of coronavirus deaths worldwide has fallen to levels unseen for almost a year, according to an AFP count on Monday based on official national figures.

The 53,245 deaths recorded worldwide between September 27 and October 3, an average of 7,606 each day, showed that the global pandemic continues the downward trend that began at the end of August, after a peak of around 10,000 deaths per day.

The new weekly death toll figure is the lowest recorded since October 31-November 6, 2020.

Over the last month, the number of Covid-19 related deaths has fallen by almost a quarter, as vaccination campaigns make progress.

The Kremlin on Monday implored people to get vaccinated against Covid-19, calling it the only way to stop the virus’ spread, as Russian authorities mulled reintroducing health restrictions to cope with daily cases rising to their highest levels since January.

“The vaccination rate, despite the complete preparedness of all infrastructure, leaves much to be desired,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Monday.

The 25,781 new infections reported nationwide on Monday was the most since January 2.