Scientists are busy trying to find out if mutations found in new variants of the coronavirus currently being developed vaccines. T.The first results of this work are encouraging: They suggest that the Pfizer vaccine is still effective against one major mutation found in these variants. H.however, more research is needed before we are fully reassured.
The preliminary results were released this week on the preprint website bioRXiv by a team of scientists from Pfizer and the University of Texas Medical Branch. They collected and tested blood samples from people who had been fully vaccinated against strains of the virus carrying the N501Y mutation, which has been seen in variants first found in the UK and South Africa and is believed to be a major reason why these species are more transferable. S.cientists have was concerned that the mutation could alter the structure of the virus enough to allow it to “escape” detection by the immune system of survivors or vaccinated humans.
In the tests showed the blood of these patients was still able to neutralize the N501Y strain of the virus, performing just as well as against other variants. That indicates that this one mutation alone will not protect the virus from our existing one weapons. The team also tested other mutations seen in variants in the UK or South Africa and found similar results.
“So we have now tested 16 different mutations, and none of them have really had a significant impact. That’s the good news, ”study author and Pfizer scientist Philip Dormitzer told Reuters Friday. “That doesn’t mean the 17th won’t.”
G / O Media can receive a commission
Indeed, no research has yet been conducted on another troubling mutation seen in the South African variant, called E484K. And while it can be difficult for a single mutation to affect the vaccine’s efficacy, experts have warned that multiple mutations in a variant could collectively alter it enough to avoid antibodies delivered by the vaccine, at least partially weakening the effectiveness of a vaccine. In other words, these findings are hopeful, but much remains to be verified.
Dormitzer and his team – and no doubt other scientists – will continue to test the vaccine new mutations and variants, data from this study will reportedly be available in the coming weeks. Meanwhile, the real world may yield some useful information in the near future. So far, about 17 million people worldwide receive at least one dose of a covid-19 vaccine (most require two doses), including 6.25 million Americans. Iin the middle of a stillraging pandemic, more cases of these variants are reported around the world. If our vaccines don’t work as effectively as they should because of these new versions of the virus, we’ll find out soon enough.