An updated version of the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine that tackles the original virus from 2020 and the Omicron variant has been approved by the UK regulator.

Care home residents and staff are among the groups in line to receive their boosters in the government’s autumn campaign from next month.

Chief executive of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, Dr June Raine, said: “I am pleased to announce the approval of the Moderna bivalent booster vaccine, which was found in the clinical trial to provide a strong immune response against the Omicron BA.1 variant as well as the original 2020 strain.

“The first generation of Covid-19 vaccines being used in the UK continue to provide important protection against the disease and save lives. 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.

“We have in place a comprehensive safety surveillance strategy for monitoring the safety of all UK-approved Covid-19 vaccines and this will include the vaccine approved today.”

Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay confirmed the government had accepted the advice of the Joint Committee on Vaccination in Immunisation on including the world-first vaccine in the booster programme this autumn.

“Vaccines remain our best defence against Covid, and this safe and effective vaccine will broaden immunity and potentially improve protections against some variants as we learn to live with this virus,” Barclay said.

“Our vaccine rollout to date has been world leading – it has already saved countless lives and reduced the pressure on the NHS.

“We will begin to contact those eligible from early September, and I would urge people to come forward as soon as they are invited so together we can keep each safe and protect our NHS.”

Health and social care staff and everyone aged 50 and over are among the groups being offered a Covid-19 booster.