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LONDON, March 18 (Reuters) – Existing vaccines could protect against the Brazilian variant of the coronavirus, according to a study by the University of Oxford, which also highlights how a variant first found in South Africa is the largest headache for vaccine makers.
Coronavirus variants with specific mutations for the ear protein are of concern because scientists are concerned that it will reduce the effectiveness of vaccines, as well as the immunity gained from previous infection.
The scientists used blood samples from people with antibodies generated by the COVID-19 infection and the vaccines Oxford / AstraZeneca and Pfizer / BioNTech that are being rolled out in Britain.
The data show an almost threefold reduction in the level of virus naturalization by antibodies generated by the vaccines for the P.1 Brazilian variant – similar to the reduction seen with the variant first identified in Kent, UK .
“These data suggest that antibodies induced by natural and vaccine can still neutralize these variants, but at lower levels,” he said. “What is important is that the P1 ‘Brazilian’ strain is less resistant to these antibodies than was first feared.”
The variant first identified in South Africa caused a much greater decrease in virus neutralization, with a 9-fold reduction in the Oxford / AstraZeneca vaccine and a 7.6-fold reduction for Pfizer / BioNTech .
Last month, South Africa thwarted the use of the AstraZeneca uptake after data showed that it caused the minimum protection against mild to moderate contamination by the country’s dominant variant.
The authors of the study said that the development of vaccines against the South African variant, known as B.1.351, should be the ‘biggest priority for vaccine developers worldwide’.
Andrew Pollard, lead researcher at Oxford University’s vaccine trial, said the study provided ‘new insights that help us be prepared to respond to further health challenges posed by the pandemic virus, should we do so. ‘.
The study was issued on a preprinted server and was not reviewed by peers. (Reporting by Kate Holton and Alistair Smout; Editing by Nick Macfie)