South Africa's Covid-19 Coronavirus Mutation Raises Vaccine Concerns

 

France 24: New virus mutation raises vaccine questions 

As the British coronavirus variant occupies countries' pandemic plans due to its increased transmissibility, other mutations to the Sars-CoV-2 are provoking concern among scientists who are scrambling to work out if they will still respond to vaccines. 

In particular, one mutation, known as E484K, detected initially in South Africa and on subsequent variants in Brazil and Japan, has raised alarm among researchers. 

Ravi Gupta, professor of microbiology at the University of Cambridge, said it is this mutation -- and not the much-covered British variant -- that is "the most worrying of all". 

Read more .... 

WNU Editor: Below are a few articles that outline why this is a concern: 

Study suggests Pfizer vaccine works against virus variant -- AP 

Will the Pfizer and Moderna Covid-19 vaccines be effective against the new strain? -- Quartz 

South Africa testing whether vaccines work against variant -- ABC News/AP 

Will the vaccines work against the South African variant of COVID-19? -- Fortune 

Will COVID-19 vaccines work on the new coronavirus variant? -- AP

Update: Just a heads up. Where I live (Montreal, Canada), there are growing concerns that the vaccine is not as effective as advertise .... Seven Quebecers test positive for COVID-19 despite first vaccination, heightening questions over delayed boosters (CTV News).