Are COVID-19 Vaccines Working on the New Coronavirus Variant?
Experts think so, but they are working to confirm it.
A coronavirus variant in the UK has raised the alarm due to the possibility that it can spread more easily. But even if that turns out to be true, experts say the COVID-19 vaccines being rolled out will likely still work on the variant.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, America’s top infectious disease expert, said data from Britain indicates the vaccines will still block the virus. But the US will also do tests to be sure.
Viruses often undergo minor changes as they reproduce and move through a population. In fact, the small changes are how scientists track the spread of a virus from one place to another.
But if a virus mutates significantly enough, one concern is that current vaccines no longer offer as much protection. And while that’s an opportunity to watch over time with the coronavirus, experts say they don’t believe this will be the case with the UK variant
“My expectation is that this will not be a problem,” said Moncef Slaoui, chief science adviser on the US government’s COVID-19 vaccination.
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