UK become the 1st country to approve Omicron Vaccine

Context

The UK became the world's first country to approve a COVID-19 vaccine for both the Omicron variant and the original coronavirus strain.

The 'bivalent' vaccine has been made by US drugmaker Moderna.
An updated version of the COVID-19 vaccine made by Moderna that targets two coronavirus variants (known as a “bivalent” vaccine) has been approved for adult booster doses by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
Conditional authorisation for the vaccine was granted by “Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Authority”.

It was also the first authority worldwide to approve the original Covid-19 vaccine.

Authorized vaccine caters to the original as well as Omicron BA.1 strain of the coronavirus.
It has been authorised for use among people aged above 18.
Now the UK will focus on its booster programme for people aged over 50 and who are highly vulnerable to developing Covid.

Omicron B.1.1.529 is a variant of SARS-CoV-2.
Network for Genomics Surveillance had first reported this variant in South Africa in November 2021.
The first case was detected in Botswana and has now spread across the world to become a predominant variant in circulation.
Apart from the original BA.1 variant, many subvariants viz., BA.2, BA.3, BA.4, and BA.5 have emerged over time.
In order to protect against severe disease and hospitalisation caused due to BA.1 and BA.2 variants of Omicron, 3 doses of covid-19 vaccine are provided.