The variant's emergence has triggered a strong global response as countries worried that it could spread fast even in vaccinated populations impose travel curbs and other restrictions. BioNTech SE said it had started work on a vaccine tailored to Omicron, along with partner Pfizer. Meanwhile, Moderna Inc said it could take months to begin shipping such a vaccine, Chief Executive Officer Stéphane Bancel told CNBC. Johnson & Johnson is also evaluating the effectiveness of its Covid-19 vaccine against Omicron, while also pursuing a vaccine specific to the variant. "We have begun work to design and develop a new vaccine against Omicron and will rapidly progress it into clinical studies if needed," said Mathai Mammen, global head of research for J&J's pharmaceuticals unit.

Source: The Express Tribune November 29, 2021 23:50 UTC