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Britain has been battling the COVID-19 pandemic since the beginning, but as the nation began launching a vaccine to stop the spread of the disease, scientists have identified a mutant virus strain that is 70% more transmissible than the original , prompting the British to look for more effective ways to cure the infected.
British scientists are testing a new antibody treatment that could give people “instant immunity” after being exposed to the new coronavirus, The Guardian reported on Friday.
According to the report, this drug would provide immediate long-term protection to patients when it is too late for a vaccine, which could save their lives. It could also be used as an emergency treatment to help reduce the spread of the virus.
“We know that this combination of antibodies can neutralize the virus, so we hope to find that administering this injection therapy can lead to immediate protection against the development of Covid-19 in people who have been exposed – when it is too late to provide a vaccine. “Said Dr Catherine Houlihan, a virologist at the University of London, NHS Trusts Hospital (UCLH), who is leading a study called Storm Chaser in this medicine.
At least ten people have already been injected with the new antibody cocktail, called AZD7442, with study participants receiving two consecutive doses of the drug. The researchers hope that the treatment will provide protection against COVID-19 between six months and a year.
UCLH scientists also began a second clinical trial called Provent to explore the use of the combination of antibodies for patients with compromised immune systems or for those at high risk of contracting the infection, such as the elderly. Key groups in this study include health care workers, home care residents, and students living in dormitories.
The drug was created by UCLH and the pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca. The latter has developed its own vaccine in cooperation with Oxford University, according to which the regulatory agency for medicines and medical products should be approved for use in the UK next week.
“The advantage of this drug is that it gives you immediate antibodies,” Houlihan said. “We could tell the participants in the trial who were exposed: yes, you can have the vaccine. But I wouldn’t tell them that it could protect them. , because it’s too late by then [because the Pfizer and Oxford vaccines do not confer full immunity for around a month]”Houlihan added.
Paul Hunter, an infectious disease expert and professor of medicine at the University of East Anglia, said the new treatment could save thousands of lives.
“If you are dealing with outbreaks in environments such as nursing homes or if you have patients who are at high risk for severe Covid, such as the elderly, then this could save a lot of lives. in phase 3, it could play an important role in keeping people who would otherwise die alive. So it should be an important thing, “he said.
The new variant of COVID identified in the United Kingdom
The news of a potential drug “miracle” comes after a new coronavirus strain was detected in the UK. The new version of the coronavirus prompted British Prime Minister Boris Johnson to announce another blockade for the south of England, destroying the Christmas plans of many people.
Health officials in the UK fear that this new variant has prevailed across the UK. The new strain is believed to account for 50% of infections nationwide.
According to Johns Hopkins University, the UK has 2,227,947 confirmed COVID-19 cases since the beginning of the pandemic, with 39,036 new cases in the last 24 hours. The death toll is 70,302.