According to scientists from the US pharmaceutical company, Moderna’s COVID vaccine works against the new variants of Coronavirus found in the UK and South Africa. As per early laboratory tests, antibodies triggered by the vaccine can recognise and fight the new variants.
Like any other virus, the Coronavirus has undergone mutations thereby infecting human cells more easily than the original version of Coronavirus. According to the BBC, current vaccines were designed around earlier variants, but scientist believes they should still work against the new variants although perhaps not quite as well.
As per international media, researchers looked at blood samples taken from eight people who received two doses of Moderna vaccine. The blood samples exposed to the new variants appeared to have sufficient antibodies to stop the virus from entering human cells.
However, protection against the South Africa variant was not as strong as for the UK variant.
Moderna is currently testing if a third booster shot would be beneficial.
Similarly, according to the New York Times, Pfizer vaccine is also said to be effective against the new variants although less effective against the South Africa variant.
Meanwhile, the US has reported its first case of the COVID-19 variant that was first detected in Brazil.
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