Omicron variant, Ema: “Milder symptoms according to first data”

Less severe symptoms from the Omicron variant based on preliminary data. The results obtained so far and the news spread suggest that so far the cases linked to infections of the Omicron variant “seem to be mostly mild”. The head of the anti-Covid vaccines task force of the European Medicines Agency (EMA), Marco Cavaleri, said at a press conference, specifying however that more evidence must be collected to determine if the spectrum of severity of the disease caused by Omicron is different from that of all the variants circulated so far. “And only time – he underlines – will tell”. Read also In the context of the epidemic, meanwhile, infections and covid hospitalizations of children between the ages of 5 and 11 “have been increasing in recent months”, explains the EMA in a briefing. “All children of this age group must be considered for vaccination, although priority must be given to those at risk of contracting severe forms of covid”, he specifies. “The vaccine safety data for this age group are reassuring. To date, no safety concerns have emerged from the extensive vaccination campaign in the US.” EMA may also conclude its evaluation of the Novavax vaccine before the end of the year. “Once authorized, this vaccine (made by an American company, ed) will provide a new option for vaccinating people in the EU and globally.”