South Africa
The study shows how the Corona-mutant B. 1.351 the Vaccination undermines
Vaccination against the Coronavirus
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Adult patients in South Africa, in spite of Astrazeneca vaccine to Covid-19 – blame the Corona-mutant B. 1.351. In Germany, the variant currently plays a minor role.
Corona-mutants experts prepare all the variant B. 1 concern.351, which is particularly prevalent in South Africa. First evidence that the currently available vaccines are less well against B. 1.351, there is already a long time ago. In February, a Vaccine trial with the Corona vaccine from Astrazeneca in South Africa was stopped after pointing to a low effectiveness as a precaution.
This week, researchers have now published the results of the phase 1/Phase 2 study. Show: Despite vaccination with the Corona vaccine Astrazeneca sufferers in South Africa, several adults to Covid-19. The vaccine showed “due to the variant B. 1.351 no protection against light-to mediumweight Covid-19,” write the researchers in the “New England Journal of Medicine”. Nevertheless, Severe gradients were not observed in the study.
No vaccine can protect 100 percent against a disease. Of interest is the study, but especially because it shows how the Corona vaccine against the mutant B. 1.351 in real patients suggests. Studies had to certify the vaccine has a good efficacy against original Corona variants of about 60 to 70 percent.
South Africa-variant, it makes antibodies hard
Like the British version of the B. 1.1.7 the South African version has a Mutation in the Spike Protein of the Virus that allows the Virus, even more effective on human cells dock. For this variant, therefore, similar to B. 1.1.7, “discussed a higher Transferability,” writes the Robert Koch Institute (RKI). B. 1.351 also has other critical mutations. You seem to impede the access of antibodies after vaccination or infection with previous Corona variants are formed.
However, the immune response of the body is much more complex and is not based bodies solely on anti -. Author of the study, Shabir Madhi of the Witwatersrand University in Johannesburg holds it according to the “medical journal” for conceivable that the vaccination is not disease, but severe cases with B. 1.351 protect could. He points out that none of the subjects had to be came into the study to a hospital or assisted ventilation.
In the South African part of the study took approximately 2000 adults. The average age (Median) was 30 years. Half of the subjects received the vaccine, and the other a Placebo. In the episode 23 of the people in the Placebo group to Covid-19 patients; in the vaccine group, there were 19. This corresponds to an efficacy of only 21.9 percent.
There is evidence that people who were infected with the original version of the Virus or on this variant, based vaccine, the “less good against infection with B. 1.351 are protected,” writes the RKI. Against the variant B. 1.1.7, and is spreading in Germany, too, seem to be the currently available vaccines to be effective.
B. 1.1.7 on the rise in Germany
B. 1.1.7-share in Germany amounts in the studied samples, in the meantime, 72 percent, according to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) on Wednesday. The Variant B. 1.351 is so far demonstrated only in about one percent of the samples.
In view of the upcoming Easter holiday SPD health expert Karl Lauterbach, a further spread of the B. 1 had.351-mutant in Germany warned. At a joint press conference with Federal Minister of health Jens Spahn (CDU) on Friday, he called to let travellers returning to the Coronavirus test. The third wave should be fired due to the occurrence of mutations, so Lauterbach.
Source: The New England Journal of Medicine / Robert-Koch-Institute (RKI)
