EU-approved vaccines appear to protect against Delta strain, says watchdog

Vaccines made by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna are among the four approved for use in the European Union. REUTERS - DADO RUVIC

The four coronavirus vaccines being administered in the European Union appear to offer protection against the rapidly spreading Delta variant, the European Medicines Agency said on Thursday.

“Emerging data from real world evidence is showing that two doses of vaccines are protective against the Delta variant,” said the EMA’s head of vaccine strategy, Marco Cavaleri.

The four vaccines approved for use in Europe – made by Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson – also offer protection against the other strains in circulation.

It seems that the 4 vaccines authorised in the EU 🇪🇺 protect against all strains, including the delta variant. First real-world data suggest that:
➡️2 doses of vaccines protect against the delta variant
➡️antibodies from the approved vaccines neutralise this variant. #EMAPresser

— EU Medicines Agency (@EMA_News) July 1, 2021

The rise of the Delta variant in Europe, particularly in the UK, has fuelled tensions over how to manage the European Union's external borders.

• EU prepares for holiday season with Covid pass but Delta variant poses threat

At an EU summit last week, German Chancellor Angela Merkel criticised southern EU countries for allowing in Britons with few, if any, Covid checks.

Evidence suggests the Delta variant is 60 percent more contagious than the Alpha variant first found in the UK last year.

Its spread is threatening to curtail use of an EU-wide Covid travel certificate that came into force on Thursday.