Apparently there's a new Covid vaccine designed to specifically target Omicron

Yep, you read that right.

new Coronavirus omicron vaccine Spikevax
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Yep, you read that right.

In Covid news today, the UK has become the first country in the world to approve a new Covid vaccine specifically designed to target the Omicron strain of the virus.

Ministers greenlit the jab, which is called "Spikevax."

Moderna - the company that has developed the new vaccine - shares its hopes that around 13 million doses can be provided in time for Autumn when ministers plan to roll out the next booster campaign.

That said, they have cautioned the public not to get set on one specific type, as you'll be injected with whatever jab they have available on the day. After all, they have all been developed and approved with the same goal in mind - to protect you against the virus.

Some fun facts for you: The new vaccine is bivalent, which essentially means that it's multifaceted and can do two jobs at the same time. It both targets the original Covid-19 virus but also the many new strains and mutations of it, too.

Speaking to the BBC, a representative from the UK's Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, Dr June Raine, stressed that the drug has indeed been vetted, tested on 473 people so far, and wouldn't have been approved by UK regulatory bodies without thorough testing.

"What this bivalent vaccine gives us is a sharpened tool in our armoury to help protect us against this disease as the virus continues to evolve," she said.

If you're at all worried about the vaccine and your fertility or how long the vaccine side effects last, we've asked some of the best experts in the business to explain why you don't need to be. Haven't had Covid yet and wondering why? Our guide might help.

When tested, results showed that Spikevax is effective at offering immune protection from the newer variants - more so than other vaccines.

Wondering whether you may be eligible for a Spikevax vaccine? Good question - and one that, as of yet, we don't have an answer to. The relevant regulatory boards will decide who is most eligible for the vaccines and distribute them accordingly.

Whatever vaccine you get - here's to protecting ourselves and others.

Ally Head
Senior Health, Sustainability and Relationships Editor

Ally Head is Marie Claire UK's Senior Health, Sustainability, and Relationships Editor, nine-time marathoner, and Boston Qualifying runner. Day-to-day, she works across site strategy, features, and e-commerce, reporting on the latest health updates, writing the must-read health and wellness content, and rounding up the genuinely sustainable and squat-proof gym leggings worth *adding to basket*. She's won a BSME for her sustainability work, regularly hosts panels and presents for events like the Sustainability Awards, and is a stickler for a strong stat, too, seeing over nine million total impressions on the January 2023 Wellness Issue she oversaw. Follow Ally on Instagram for more or get in touch.