There are about 4,000 variants of the virus that causes COVID-19, prompting a race to develop vaccines, Britain said Thursday, as researchers began studying doses of a combination of the Pfizer and AstraZeneca strains in a world first.
Thousands of mutations have been recorded as the virus moves, including the various British, South African and Brazilian mutations that appear to spread faster. the others.
British Vaccine Practice Minister Nadhim Zahawi expects the current lies to be effective. “It is very likely that the routine vaccine will not be effective on the variables whether in Kent or other changes, especially when it comes to serious illness and hospitalization,” Zahawi told Sky News. manufacturer, Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, Oxford-AstraZeneca and others, looking at how they can improve their vaccine to ensure we are ready for any variation. There are now around 4,000 variants of COVID worldwide. “
While thousands of differences have arisen as the virus moves to reproduce, few are likely to matter and change the virus in a meaningful way, according to the British Medical Journal. .
The so-called British version, called VUI-202012/01, has mutations that involve a change in the spike protein that viruses use to bind to the human ACE2 receptor – making it easier to catch.
“We have the largest genome sequencing industry; we have around 50% of the world’s genome sequencing industry and we maintain a library of the various variables so that we are ready to respond – no matter what. autumn or beyond – to any challenge whether the virus can deliver and produce the next vaccine, “Zahawi said.
The novel coronavirus, also known as SARS-CoV-2, has killed 2.26 million people worldwide since it appeared in China in late 2019, according to Johns Hopkins University of Medicine.
Israel is currently far ahead of the rest of the world in vaccines per capita, followed by the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, Bahrain, the United States and then Spain, Italy. and Germany.
Britain on Thursday launched a test to assess the immune responses created if doses of the vaccines from Pfizer and AstraZeneca are combined in a two-dimensional table. Initial data on immune responses are expected to be generated around June.
The trial will examine the immune responses of an initial dose of Pfizer vaccine followed by an increase of AstraZeneca, as well as vice versa, with intervals of four and 12 weeks.
The lawsuit is the first of its kind to combine mRNA bullets – the one developed by Pfizer and BioNtech – and adenovirus vector vaccines of the type developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca. AstraZeneca’s unique bullet is being tested in conjunction with another viral vector vaccine, Sputnik V. of Russia.
The British researchers behind the case said that data on the vaccination of people with both types of vaccine could help to understand whether views can be presented with greater flexibility around the world, and may even increase immune responses.
Matthew Snape, a vaccine from Oxford which is leading the trial, said a combination of different images had been effective in Ebola vaccine records, and while the new tests were a combination of vaccine technologies, it could also work. “Ultimately, it all comes down to the same target – cells making the protein spike – just using different platforms,” he told reporters. “For that reason, we expect to create a good immune response with these combinations.”
The head of the Public Health England vaccine, Mary Ramsay, said there was much precedent for such work, as vaccines against Hepatitis A and B were intermittent from two different manufacturers, and work of the same type for human papillomavirus (HPV).