Coronavirus vaccine strategy needs rethink after resistant variants emerge

[BUtterfield 8 41,818]

Leading vaccine scientists are calling for a rethink of the goals of vaccination programmes, saying that herd immunity through vaccination is unlikely to be possible because of the emergence of variants like that in South Africa.

The comments came as the University of Oxford and AstraZeneca acknowledged that their vaccine will not protect people against mild to moderate Covid illness caused by the South African variant. The Oxford vaccine is the mainstay of the UK’s immunisation programme and vitally important around the world because of its low cost and ease of use.

The findings came from a study involving more than 2,000 people in South Africa. They followed results from two vaccines, from Novavax and Janssen, which were trialled there in recent months and were found to have much reduced protection against the variant – at about 60%. Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna have also said the variant affects the efficacy of their vaccines, although on the basis of lab studies only.

“These findings recalibrate thinking about how to approach the pandemic virus and shift the focus from the goal of herd immunity against transmission to the protection of all at-risk individuals in the population against severe disease,” he said.

Source

[Guest]

Jesus christ, when is it going to stop

[Mother of Puppies 36,615]

my mental health is deteriorating more and more...

[MJHolland 12,725]

phuuuuuck phuck phuck phuck I'm going to CRY 

[dynamite 66,579]

Oh I thought countries were no longer aiming for herd immunity anyway? And if it still prevents the vulnerable from getting it severely then isn't that the best we can hope for at this point?

[mister max 18,480]

Let's wait for more studies to roll in on these variants, astra zeneca is not the only vaccine you know, please don't loose hope everyone

[homomo 23,883]

Most likely they can just tweak the vaccine a bit and protect against the varient.

Sure, it costs a little bit of time. But we will get there

[TSUNAMI 21,297]

So... still not 3somes? 

[Sarah H 4,375]

They still prevent you being hospitalized. Also 60% protection is not bad. I'm sure things will improve as they make boosters etc for the new strains. 

[RudraCNG 15,506]

But Pfizer and Moderna vaccines do work against those variants, don't they? The article just mentions Astrazeneca & Oxford, which are the ones that don't work with South Africa variant.

[Mister G 10,512]

Just now, RudraCNG said:

But Pfizer and Moderna vaccines do work against those variants, don't they? The article just mentions Astrazeneca & Oxford ones.

Pfizer and Moderna worked, I believe, against the UK and South Africa variants. The variant from Brazil is the one experts said was bypassing immunity.

[Sarah H 4,375]

6 minutes ago, RudraCNG said:

But Pfizer and Moderna vaccines do work against those variants, don't they? The article just mentions Astrazeneca & Oxford, which are the ones that don't work with South Africa variant.

It says in that article the variant affects efficacy of the other vaccines 

Quote

They followed results from two vaccines, from Novavax and Janssen, which were trialled there in recent months and were found to have much reduced protection against the variant – at about 60%. Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna have also said the variant affects the efficacy of their vaccines, although on the basis of lab studies only.

[SlipAway 880]

12 minutes ago, TSUNAMI said:

So... still not 3somes? 

Do the rapid testing if ya want 2 guys this bad 

[TSUNAMI 21,297]

10 minutes ago, SlipAway said:

Do the rapid testing if ya want 2 guys this bad 

I wanna get vaccine already 

[Summerboi14 807]

I read that there is another mutant that combines British and South African mutation. I feel like we will never get rid of it.