Pfizer Covid vaccine effective against new mutant strain from UK

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Mandatory Credit: Photo by Jed Leicester/REX (11715347av) A doctor injects the Pfizer Covid 19 vaccine to local residents at The Thomas Lord Suite at Lords' Cricket Ground, upstairs from the Lords' Tavern pub Covid Vaccination Centre at Lord's Cricket Ground, London, UK - 14 Jan 2021
A doctor injects the Pfizer vaccine into a patient in London (Picture: Jed Leicester/REX)

Pfizer’s Covid vaccine is likely to protect against the mutant strain of coronavirus sweeping the UK, latest lab tests have revealed. The encouraging results, using blood of participants in trials, are based on more extensive analysis than those released by the pharmaceutical giant last week. Last week, Pfizer said a similar laboratory study showed the vaccine was effective against one key mutation, called N501Y, found in both of the highly transmissible variants spreading in the UK and South Africa. The latest study, which has not yet been peer reviewed, was conducted on 10 mutations, which are characteristic of the variant known as B117 identified in Britain.

epa08939349 (FILE) - Exterior view of the Pfizer production site in Puurs near Antwerp, Belgium, 22 December 2020. Pfizer Puurs is one of the largest production units in the world (reissued 15 January 2021). Pfizer on 15 January 2021 informed the European Union, which in turn informed the member states, that its Covid-19 vaccine deliveries may be delayed due to construction works at production site in Puurs. The construction works are aimed at increasing the vaccine production capacity as of mid-February 2021. All countries, with exception of USA, are delivered the vaccine from the Puurs plant. EPA/OLIVIER HOSLET
The encouraging lab results have just been released by Pfizer (Picture: EPA)

It provides further hope as the country reports record numbers of daily Covid deaths, which are believed to be driven by the more transmissible variant. It also means vaccine development would for now not have to start all over again. But it comes after Israel – which is carrying out the world’s fastest vaccination drive – claimed that efficacy from the first dose of the Pfizer vaccine may be as low as 3%.

Responding to Israel’s claims, the Government’s chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance said studies showed that from day 10 after vaccination to 21 days and beyond, it was ‘much more like 89%’. Though he admitted ‘when you get into real-world practice things are seldom quite as good as clinical trials’. He added: ‘It probably won’t be as high as that in practice, but I don’t think it’ll be as low as the figures you’ve just given

 

 

source:metro.co.uk/2021/01/20/