Germany to start Omicron-adapted COVID vaccinations next week - minister

Germany can next week start using COVID-19 vaccines which have been adapted for the Omicron variant and got approval for use in the European Union on Thursday, Health Minister Karl Lauterbach said. He said approval of the BA.1 vaccine was a quantum leap in the fight against the pandemic as vaccines were now available that work well against all previously known virus variants. 'From next week, vaccinations can begin with the new doses. Now is the optimal time to close the gaps in vaccination for the autumn,' he said in a statement.