Recent study suggests the vaccine ineffective to new variant strain

South Africa has put the brakes on the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, suspending plans to inoculate its front-line health care workers with the vaccine.

The South African health administration made the decision after the results of a small clinical trial suggests that the vaccine is ineffective in preventing mild to moderate illness from the variant strain dominant in the country. Only last week did South Africa received its first one million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine.

The country was expected to begin administering the medication to health care workers in the coming days. However, health officials in the country say the disappointing early results from its small clinical trial indicate that an inoculation drive using the AstraZeneca vaccine may not be useful.

Preliminary data from the test results reveals that the AstraZeneca vaccine offers only “minimal protection against mild-moderate disease” caused by the variant in South Africa. This variant appears to be more infectious, which is driving a deadly resurgence of the disease in the country, accounting for more than 90 per cent of the all COVID-19 cases.

Vaccine effective on original strain but ineffective against the variant

According to Health Minister Zweli Mkhize,”the AstraZeneca vaccine appeared effective against the original strain but not against the variant… .

“We have decided to put a temporary hold on the rollout of the vaccine. … More work needs to be done.”

The study, which hasn’t yet been peer-reviewed, involved 2,000 people, most of whom were young and healthy. The volunteers’ average age was 31. Scientists will study whether the AstraZeneca vaccine works against the variant to prevent death and severe disease.

The South African health minister reports that other vaccines have been less effective against the variant but they have provided good protection against death and serious disease. However, public health officials are concerned about the South African variant because it includes a mutation of the coronavirus’s characteristic spike protein, which is targeted by existing vaccines.

They say the variant is more contagious and evidence is emerging that it may be more virulent.

The early results for the AstraZeneca vaccine against the variant could have far-reaching implications, as many other countries in Africa and beyond have been planning to use the AstraZeneca shot.

Modified vaccine being developed to cope with South African variant

The vaccine’s lead researcher, Sarah Gilbert, told the BBC on the weekend that the developers of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine will be developing a modified shot to cope with the South African coronavirus variant by autumn.

Authorities in England last week went house to house to test for Covid-19 in eight areas where the South African variant is believed to be spreading. This was done after a handful of cases were found in people, who had had no contact with the country or anyone who had traveled there.

More than 100 cases of the South African variant have been found in the United Kingdom.