How vaccine makers plan to address the new COVID-19 omicron variant
A new coronavirus variant, first discovered in South Africa, has begun to spread around the globe. Vaccine producers say they're working to get ahead of the new strain.
A new strain of COVID-19 first discovered in South Africa was declared a variant of concern by the World Health Organization on Friday. Here's how the pharmaceutical industry plans to address the latest coronavirus curve ball.
Vaccine makers are already pivoting their efforts to combat the new variant: testing higher doses of booster shots, designing new boosters that anticipate strain mutations, and developing omicron-specific boosters.
In abooster vaccines that are designed to anticipate mutations like those found in the omicron variant. The company also said it will ramp up efforts to make a booster candidate that specifically targets omicron.
