- Drugmaker AstraZeneca is racing to adapt its Covid-19 vaccine in the face of new variants of the virus.
- The process has become more urgent after the outcome of a small-scale study.
- The study found that it was less effective at protecting against the more virulent strain discovered in South Africa.
- Vaccine makers are working on second-generation shots to target variants.
A recent news article published in CNBC reveals that AstraZeneca races to adapt Covid vaccine to variant as South Africa suspends rollout.
AstraZeneca to adapt new variant
Drugmaker AstraZeneca is racing to adapt its Covid-19 vaccine in the face of new variants of the virus.
The process is becoming more urgent after a small-scale study found that it was less effective at protecting against the more virulent strain discovered in South Africa.
Vaccination suspended
The country said it would suspend the use of the shot in its vaccination program.
This is followed by a study that was published on last Sunday and not yet peer reviewed.
The study foundt the vaccine offered “minimal protection” against mild to moderate disease caused by the mutation found in South Africa.
Researchers from the University of Witwatersrand
Researchers from the University of Witwatersrand and others in South Africa, and the University of Oxford, noted that the study was small.
It involves only around 2,000 volunteers who had an average age of 31. O
University said “protection against moderate-severe disease, hospitalization or death could not be assessed in this study as the target population were at such low risk.”
Details of the variant
The variant, known formally as the B.1.351 mutation, was first detected in South Africa in October and has become dominant in the country.
Several cases found elsewhere
Several cases have been found elsewhere, sending health authorities scrambling to stop the spread of the mutation that is proven to be more infectious.
There had already been concerns that this variant could be more resistant to coronavirus vaccines developed over the last year.
Use of other vaccines
As it suspended use of the AstraZeneca-Oxford University vaccine, the South African government will offer vaccines produced by Johnson & Johnson and Pfizer instead.
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Source: CNBC
