The EU drug regulator said on Wednesday that people 18 years and older can receive a booster shot of Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine at least two months after the first dose of the vaccine.

The European Medicines Agency also stated that the Johnson & Johnson vaccine can be used as a booster dose for people who have been vaccinated with the two-shot vaccine produced by Pfizer and Moderna.

The agency’s Human Medicines Committee’s recommendations provide countries with greater flexibility in launching or accelerating activities in response to the spread of new omicron variants.

The agency stated in a statement that public health agencies in the 27 EU countries may issue official recommendations on the use of booster doses, “taking into account the local epidemiology, the availability of vaccines, emerging effectiveness and booster doses. Limited safety data. Dosage.”

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration gave the green light in October for Johnson & Johnson’s booster dose, which applies to both those who initially received Johnson & Johnson and vaccinations, as well as those who received other vaccinations.

Johnson & Johnson earlier announced the results of a large study that found that among recipients in the United States, the protection rate against symptomatic COVID-19 increased from 70% to 94% for the first time only two months later. , The second dose was given.