Regulators in Australia last week approved Omicron-specific boosters, following approval in the UK in mid-August.

In Australia, a Moderna Omicron booster has been provisionally approved for use in adults aged 18 and over. Supplies are expected to arrive in the coming weeks; however, ATAGI is yet to advise the government on how the vaccine will be used.

So what’s new about the Omicron booster? And what sorts of advances in vaccine technology might we see next?

The current COVID-19 vaccines will go down in history as one of the greatest achievements of medical science. Developed at record pace — without omitting any of the usual steps to ensure safety and efficacy — the vaccines significantly decreased the risk of severe disease and death.