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Commission authorises Chikungunya vaccine for adults and adolescents

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The Commission has authorized a vaccine against the chikungunya virus for adults and young people aged 12 and over. This follows the authorization of the vaccine for adults in 2024, which protects against the chikungunya virus, transmitted by infected mosquitoes.

Although the virus is not endemic in the EU, the effects of climate change have led to an increased presence of mosquitoes that transmit serious diseases. Most cases of the chikungunya virus concern travellers infected outside Europe. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) reports that in 2024, 620,000 cases of the chikungunya virus and 213 deaths were detected from countries in the Americas, Asia, Africa and Europe.

This authorisation reflects the EU's One Health approach to combating vector-borne infectious diseases. It was unanimously approved by member states following a rigorous assessment by the European Medicines Agency (EMA). It is up to the national authorities in each member state to decide who will have access to the vaccine, taking into account the national situation and the level of risk.

Health and Animal Welfare Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi (pictured) said: "Today's authorisation of a vaccine against chikungunya in the EU for both adults and adolescents is welcome news. The Commission is determined to use all the tools at our disposal to tackle the public health risks posed by infected mosquitoes and to protect our citizens. This is the European Health Union."

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