The European Medicines Agency (EMA) on Monday approved the BioNTech-Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine that specifically targets the new and contagious types of the omicron variant.

The news came amid concerns that Europe could be facing another huge wave of infections this winter.

"This recommendation will further extend the arsenal of available vaccines to protect people against COVID-19 as the pandemic continues and new waves of infections are anticipated in the cold season," the EMA said.

The so-called "bivalent" jab, made by BioNTech-Pfizer, is directed at the highly infectious BA.4 and BA.5 types of the variant and is the first of its kind to be approved within the 27-nation bloc.

The latest vaccines "better match the circulating variants of SARS-CoV-2 and are expected to provide broader protection against different variants," the EMA said, using the alternative name for the COVID-19 virus.

Their recommendation will now be sent to the European Commission for final approval.

Omicron continues to drive infections

While previous "variants of concern" like alpha and delta eventually petered out, omicron and its sub-lineages have dominated throughout 2022. Although the original vaccines, which began to be approved over two years, provide some protection against the new variants, there have been concerns that they are not enough to target the milder but more contagious omicron virus variations.

The BA.4 and BA.5 omicron types have in particular helped to drive a wave of new cases of the disease in Europe and the United States in recent months.

 es/dj (AFP, dpa)