South Africa has stopped using the AstraZeneca vaccine after data emerged showing minimal protection against the South African coronavirus variant, which is currently dominant in the country.
Reuters reports that the Minister of Health, Zweli Mkhize, made the announcement on Sunday, following the disappointing results of a trial conducted by the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg.
The press reports that the South African government planned to launch doses of AstraZeneca vaccine on Monday, but will now offer the vaccines developed by Johnson & Johnson and Pfizer.
The AstraZeneca vaccine will stay with us … until scientists give us clear directions on what to do, Mkhize said.
The South African coronavirus variant is thought to be more infectious, and data have suggested that it is more resistant to existing vaccines than the previous strain of coronavirus. Vaccines created by AstraZeneca, Pfizer and Moderna are considered to be effective against the UK variant.
The announcement comes a day after Oxford University’s top vaccine researcher Sarah Gilbert said a modified version of the AstraZeneca vaccine, which will be effective against the South African strain, will likely be available by autumn.
“This year we expect to show that the new version of the vaccine will generate antibodies and recognize the new variant. And then it will be very similar to working with flu vaccines, so that people are familiar with the idea that we need new components, new strains. in the flu vaccine every year, “Gilbert told the BBC on Saturday.
According to Gilbert, the new modified version will require less time and fewer clinical trials than the original vaccine.