- Researchers tested the Moderna vaccine candidate against the British mutation (B.1.1.7) and found that the neutralizing antibodies still work against the new strain.
- The tests also involve testing neutralizing antibodies of people with acute COVID-19 infections and COVID-19 survivors.
- The researchers found that infected people contain antibodies that can neutralize the British mutation, which should reduce the risk of re-infection.
COVID-19 vaccination campaigns started less than two months ago, and more than 134 million doses have been administered Bloomberg’s vaccine dop. This is so far more doses than the number of confirmed COVID-19 infections, but it is not enough to change the course of the pandemic. The world is far from reaching herd immunity, which could stop the pandemic, with the same tracker estimating that it will take about 6.6 years to vaccinate 75% of the planet’s population at the current rate of almost 4 , 75 million doses per day. However, this is a deeply flawed estimate because it does not take into account the upcoming ramps in production and additional vaccines that will be allowed in the coming months and years.
However, there is a new problem that researchers are concerned about: mutations. At least one of the coronavirus mutants recently discovered may reduce the effectiveness of current candidates for vaccination, and this may lead to further delays in achieving herd immunity. But the vaccines still work against certain known mutations, including the British variant that dominates in Britain and moves in the US and other regions. The good news is that new research suggests that the Moderna vaccine is effective against the British strain and a mutation that occurs in different variants.
Today’s Top Deal %title% List price:% original price% Price:% price% You save:% discount_amount% (% discount_percent%)
BGR is available on Amazon and may receive a commission Available at Amazon BGR may receive a commission
Researchers from Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, the University of Texas Medical Branch and the COVID-19 Neutralization Study Group tested the vaccine against the British variant of the virus and published their results online in a study that was not yet peer-reviewed. not. discuss (via Medical News).
The team looked at three categories of neutralizing antibodies to measure the effectiveness of the Moderna remedy against the B.1.1.7 virus. The B.1.1.7 strain of SARS-CoV-2 is a collection of genetic changes, not just a single mutation. Some of them occurred at the elevated protein level, which explains why scientists are testing the effectiveness of their vaccines. The researchers took plasma from 20 patients with acute infections, 20 patients recovering from COVID-19 and 14 healthy individuals who had been vaccinated. All of these blood samples contain different levels of neutralizing antibodies that must bind to the new protein of the coronavirus.
The 20 people with an acute infection developed COVID-19 symptoms between 8 and 24 days before samples were collected. The patients who recovered had COVID-19 between 30 and 90 days before the test. The immunized patients received both Moderna shots, which are given 28 days apart, and the sera samples were collected 14 days after the second jab.
The scientists tested all of these samples against several coronavirus strains, including an early version of the virus obtained in Washington (WA1), a D614G variant isolated in Georgia in March 2020 (EHC-083E), and a B.1.1.7 variant from California. . Finally, the researchers also tested the samples against a recombinant SARS-CoV-2 virus containing a single point mutation in the vein protein at position 501 (N501Y).
The authors found that all types of neutralizing antibodies, whether developed in response to direct infection or after vaccination, worked just as well. The team saw no reduction in the levels of neutralizing antibodies against any variants, an indication that the Moderna remedy is working. “These results show that neutralizing antibody titers after natural infection or vaccination are effective against the British variant (B.1.1.7) and viral strains containing single point mutations at positions 501 and 614 within the protein,” the team said.
These findings suggest that the vaccine may protect against severe COVID-19 and death after infection with B.1.1.7 and other strains containing the 501 mutation. The South African mutation also contains the N501Y change. Another study also showed that the Pfizer / BioNTech vaccine, an mRNA agent like Moderna’s candidate, works against mutations B.1.1.7 and N501Y.
Also important is the implication that people who survived an infection of the new coronavirus at some point before the discovery of the British mutation should be protected from the British tribe.
However, the South African mutation also contains multiple genetic changes. The new study did not test the Moderna vaccine against the full B.1.351 strain from South Africa. Existing experiments proved that COVID-19 survivors could be re-infected with B.1.351. South African authorities have halted the explosion of Oxford vaccines in the region, following disappointing results in recent tests. Separately, Moderna announced a few days ago that he was working on a vaccine for the vaccine that could help the effectiveness against newer mutations, including South African mutation.
On a related note, researchers in the UK have discovered that B.1.1.7 strains develop a more resistant mutation against vaccines, which has also been seen in the South African and Brazilian strains. The new study did not test the Moderna remedy for these newer B.1.1.7 variations.
The full study is available at this link.
Today’s Top Deal %title% List price:% original price% Price:% price% You save:% discount_amount% (% discount_percent%)
BGR is available on Amazon and may receive a commission Available at Amazon BGR may receive a commission
Chris Smith started writing about hobbies as a hobby, and before he knew it, he shared his views on technological things with readers around the world. If he does not write about equipment, he can not stay in it, even though he is desperately trying. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing.