Unified Vaccine by Moderna for COVID-19 and Flu

Single COVID vaccine that would be effective against both COVID and flu has been under progress by US drugmaker Moderna.

Single COVID vaccine that would be effective against both COVID and flu has been under progress by US drugmaker Moderna. The jab could be ready as early as next year.

According to the company's UK chief Darius Hughes, an annual "combination" vaccine would be more convenient for patients because it required fewer visits to a medical facility and cut the NHS's cost of administering vaccinations, Daily Mail reported.

Two New Covid Vaccines and 1 Anti-Viral Drug Approved by CDSCO
Omicron variant cases are rising in the country and two new Covid-19 vaccines have been approved by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO).

‘Single COVID vaccine that would be effective against both COVID and flu has been under progress by US drugmaker Moderna. ’

The vaccine against COVID and flu could be available by the winter of 2023 "at a stretch", Hughes was quoted as saying.

Last year, the NHS sought to reassure patients that administering jabs against flu and COVID at the same time did not affect the immune response.

Moderna is currently also developing a vaccine to specifically tackle the Omicron variant. Early-stage data on its effectiveness is expected within the next two weeks.

Sputnik V Covid Vaccine Effective Against Omicron Variant
Sputnik V covid vaccine is effective against the vaccine-evading and super mutant Omicron variant of Covid.

Moderna also hopes to create a jab that tackles COVID, influenza, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), which typically causes mild symptoms but can be serious, especially for infants and older adults, by the winter of 2024, the report said.

"Our No 1 priority for 2022, after getting the right COVID vaccine for the Omicron variant, is to try and really drive forward our flu and RSV programmes to see if we can get a combination, single-dose respiratory vaccine," Hughes said.

Australia: COVID Vaccine Approved for People Aged from 5 to 11
Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine for children aged between 5 and 11 has been approved by Australia's medical regulator, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA).

"It would be just fantastic for patients if you could have one appointment -- go along, have that jab done, and you are protected against all of those major respiratory diseases for the winter."

Hughes said that the vaccine would benefit the NHS, and all the vaccination services, and ultimately patients, hugely.

He noted that the vaccine would most likely be given to those who were offered a flu jab before the pandemic, which included over-65s and those with long-term health conditions, the report said.

Source-IANS