The European Medicines Agency has given the green light to a third Covid-19 vaccine.
The Agency has approved the Astra Zeneca vaccine for use on anyone over 18.
📢 EMA has just recommended granting a conditional marketing authorisation for the #COVID19vaccine AstraZeneca to prevent #COVID19 in people from 18 years of age. 👉Read our press release: https://t.co/YDbOvZEMUN pic.twitter.com/Sbj6TdlGTW
— EU Medicines Agency (@EMA_News) January 29, 2021
It follows the approval of Pfrizer-BioNTech and Moderna jabs.
The European Commission will fast-track the approval.
This will allow the vaccine to be rolled out across the EU in a speedy fashion.
Tánaiste Leo Varadkar has welcomed the announcement, saying it's "good news".
This is good news. It means we now have another vaccine in the arsenal. AstraZeneca has met the EMA’s strict criteria. And we will also begin vaccinating the over 85s in the next few weeks: EMA recommends approval of AstraZeneca vaccine via @RTENews https://t.co/u2AVFeVoz1
— Leo Varadkar (@LeoVaradkar) January 29, 2021
The Fine Gael leader also said Ireland will being vaccinating those over 85 "in the next few weeks".
Like the other two EU-approved vaccines, the Astra Zeneca vaccine is a two shot jab.
