LONDON (AFP): A new study has claimed that the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine is less effective against the South Africa variant of COVID-19.
According to the study, due to be published Monday, the pharma group said it could still have an effect on severe disease — although there is not yet enough data to make a definitive judgement.
None of the 2,000 participants in the trial developed serious symptoms, but AstraZeneca said the sample size was too small to make a full determination.
“We may not be reducing the total number of cases but there is still protection against deaths, hospitalisations and severe disease,” said Sarah Gilbert, who led the development of the vaccine with the Oxford Vaccine Group.
Talking to an international news channel, she said that it could also be some time before they determine its effectiveness for older people in fighting the strain, which is a growing presence in Britain.
“Researchers are currently working to update the vaccine, and have a version with the South African spike sequence in the works that they would very much like to be ready for the autumn,” she added.
UK vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi said the government’s strategy to combat the spread of the strain was to continue with its mass vaccination programme “as rapidly as possible”.
Britain is in the midst of a massive vaccination drive and has so far vaccinated over 11 million people using either the Pfizer/BioNTech or Oxford/Astrazeneca shots.
