(Bloomberg) -- A study by South African scientists into the new coronavirus variant driving a resurgence of new cases in the country raises concern about the efficacy of vaccines and a new class of therapies.
Half the blood samples taken from a group of people to have recovered from Covid-19 didn’t have the antibodies needed to protect against the 501Y.V2 strain identified last month, according to the paper by South Africa’s National Institute for Communicable Diseases. In the other half, antibody levels were reduced and the risk of re-infection couldn’t be determined, according to the institute.
New strains of the virus have also been identified in countries including the U.K. and Brazil, leading to concerns that increasingly dangerous versions of the pathogen still yet to emerge may hamper the global roll out of vaccines.
The NICD findings may “foreshadow reduced efficacy of current spike-based vaccines,” the scientists said. They also suggest that treatment with plasma from donors who’ve had the coronavirus may not be successful in those with this variant.
The strain that emerged in South Africa is about 50% more transmissible than earlier versions, Salim Abdool Karim, co-chair of the Covid-19 ministerial advisory committee, said in a presentation earlier this week. However, there’s no evidence it’s more likely to cause hospitalization or death, he said.
Why the Mutated Coronavirus Variants Are So Worrisome: QuickTake
A separate study by Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE showed that their Covid-19 vaccine will protect against the new variant of the coronavirus that emerged in the U.K. Scientists have previously said many existing vaccines could be adapted to new strains if needed.
Últimas Noticias
Debanhi Escobar: they secured the motel where she was found lifeless in a cistern
Members of the Specialized Prosecutor's Office in Nuevo León secured the Nueva Castilla Motel as part of the investigations into the case
The oldest person in the world died at the age of 119
Kane Tanaka lived in Japan. She was born six months earlier than George Orwell, the same year that the Wright brothers first flew, and Marie Curie became the first woman to win a Nobel Prize
Macabre find in CDMX: they left a body bagged and tied in a taxi
The body was left in the back seats of the car. It was covered with black bags and tied with industrial tape
The eagles of America will face Manchester City in a duel of legends. Here are the details
The top Mexican football champion will play a match with Pep Guardiola's squad in the Lone Star Cup
Why is it good to bring dogs out to know the world when they are puppies
A so-called protection against the spread of diseases threatens the integral development of dogs
