Two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine are needed to protect against the Delta variant of coronavirus, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has said. The Euro

COVID-19 vaccines: Two doses needed to protect against Delta variant, says EMA

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2021-07-15 03:30:07

Two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine are needed to protect against the Delta variant of coronavirus, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has said.

The European regulator also called on EU member states to speed up their vaccination programmes amid an increase in infections.

Several European countries have blamed a rise in COVID-19 case numbers on the highly contagious Delta variant, which first emerged in India.

"Preliminary evidence suggests that both doses of a COVID-19 vaccine are needed to provide adequate protection against the Delta variant," the EMA said in a statement.

"Adherence to the recommended vaccination course is vital to benefit from the highest level of protection against the virus," it added.

The regulator reaffirmed its approval of two doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna, and AstraZeneca vaccines for European citizens.

According to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), the Delta variant of the coronavirus will account for 90% of cases by the end of August.