Covid-19 vaccines are effective against the mutated strain detected in the UK, European experts quoted by Germany’s health minister said on Sunday.
“For all we know so far, and after the discussions that have taken place between experts from the European authorities,” the new virus variant “has no impact on vaccines” that remain “equally effective.” , Minister Jens Spahn told public television channel ZDF.
“It would be very good news,” added the minister, whose country currently holds the rotating EU presidency.
European Union experts, along with representatives of the German health surveillance authority (RKI) discussed the issue on Sunday, a source in the German Ministry of Health told AFP.
The virus mutation has been observed especially in Britain and has led many European countries to suspend flights from that country.
This variant of Covid-19 is considered potentially 70% more contagious than the previous one.
This Monday, the European Medicines Agency is due to meet in principle to approve the first vaccine to be used in EU territory, the one developed by Pfizer-BioNTech laboratories, already used in several countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom.