EU Regulator Okays Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine

By Onwuka Gerald

The European Union (EU) medicines regulator has on Wednesday okayed a coronavirus jab by US firm Moderna.

With the approval, the vaccine will be the second to be authorised by the European Medicines Agency, after Pfizer-BioNTech’s were issued the green light to operate late December.

The Moderna approval comes just as criticism mounts of the EU’s slow start to its vaccination program, which is so far slacking behind the United States (US), Britain and Israel.

EMA Executive Director Emer Cooke, said in a statement, “This vaccine provides us with another advantage to triumph against the current emergency,”

“It is a proof to efforts and devotion of all involved that we have this second positive vaccine approval just short of a year since the pandemic was announced by WHO,” she continued.

Meanwhile, the European Commission Chief, Ursula von der Leyen said it was “good news for collective efforts made towards bringing more COVID-19 vaccines to Europeans!”