The Technical Scientific Commission (CTS) of AIFA, in the meeting of 14 September 2022, decided to make available the use of the Comirnaty Original / Omicron BA.4-5 bivalent vaccine, approved by EMA, as a dose booster for all subjects. from the authorized indication.
The CTS reiterates that the population at greatest risk of developing serious disease, for which the booster dose is therefore recommended as a priority, is represented by subjects with risk factors and by those over 60. All other subjects can still get vaccinated with the dose booster on the advice of the doctor or as an individual choice.
In the opinion of the CTS, at the moment there are no elements to express a preferential judgment towards the different bivalent vaccines available (original strain BA.1 and BA.4-5): all increase the protection against different variants and help to maintain a optimal protection against COVID-19. In fact, even the bivalent BA.1 vaccine has been shown to induce an antibody response greater than that of the original vaccine against the BA.5 variant.
In conclusion, both BA.1 and BA.4-5 vaccines can be recommended as a booster as a priority for all individuals over the age of 60 or with risk factors.