UK volunteers to receive Moderna vaccine that targets omicron
February 16, 2022, 4:35 pm

UK volunteers to receive Moderna vaccine that targets omicron

Moderna Covid-19 vaccine/Pixabay

The Arab News reported, Sky News said that a group of 3,000 volunteers in the UK will be among the first in the world to receive a new COVID-19 vaccine that targets the omicron variant.

Almost 30 hospitals across the UK are expected to take part in the tests, which begin later this week.

As part of the tests, overseen by a London hospital team, the 3,000-person cohort will be split into two, with the first half receiving a standard Moderna booster and the other half a new jab by the company designed to neutralize the highly infectious variant.

Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel told Sky News that a booster set for public release this autumn would protect against both the delta and omicron variants.

The new clinical trial will evaluate immune responses among volunteers and the jab’s safety.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid said: “The UK is a world leader when it comes to the research and development of vaccines and medicines, bolstered by our renowned life-sciences industry.”

UK health minister Sajid Javid (File photo: Official Facebook page)

“I want this country to be the best place in the world to launch clinical trials. I urge anyone eligible to take part in this vital research and play their part in protecting the country for years to come as we learn to live with COVID-19.”

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Moderna’s cooperation with the UK’s National Institute for Health Research, a government-funded research arm, comes as the pharmaceutical giant looks to boost its market presence in the country.

Javid met with Bancel in the US last week amid rumors that the company is preparing to launch a research hub in Britain.

Bancel said: “The UK and NIHR have been pioneering in their work to study vaccines and therapeutics throughout the global pandemic and have built up world-class clinical research capabilities.

Moderna begins trial of omicron-specific vaccine booster

“We look forward to continuing our work with the NIHR and engaging further with the life sciences community in the UK.”

Source: arabnews

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Upon arriving to participate in the summit of the European Political Community, which includes around forty heads of state in Budapest, he said, "I look forward to sitting with the elected U.S. president and seeing how we will collectively ensure we meet challenges, including the threats from Russia and North Korea." He also noted that the strengthening of ties between Russia and North Korea poses a threat to the United States as well, according to reports from Agence France-Presse.

Before Trump's victory, Rutte expressed confidence that a united Washington would remain part of the defensive alliance, even if Trump became the 47th president of the United States. In an interview with German public broadcaster ZDF last Monday night, he stated that both Republicans and Democrats understand that NATO serves not only the security of Europe but also that of America. He added that both candidates are aware that the security of the United States is closely tied to NATO.

On Wednesday, NATO congratulated Trump on his victory but did not address the Ukrainian issue.

It is noteworthy that the relationship between the elected U.S. president and the defense alliance was not the best during his first term in the White House. Trump criticized NATO member states multiple times and even hinted at withdrawing from the alliance unless they increased their financial contributions.

Additionally, the issue of the Russian-Ukrainian war is one of the matters that complicate relations between the two sides, especially since Trump has repeatedly stated that he can end this ongoing conflict, which began in 2022, quickly. He implied that he had a peace plan between Kyiv and Moscow, while his vice president, JD Vance, revealed aspects of that plan, which stipulated Ukraine's commitment not to join NATO, thereby sending reassuring signals to the Russians.

Furthermore, many NATO member states in Europe fear that Trump might halt military aid to Ukraine after he previously criticized the U.S. for pouring funds into supporting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.