Washington – Dr. Scott Gottlieb, former head of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), said Sunday that coronavirus vaccines currently distributed in the United States should provide “reasonable protection” against new strains that have been detected in the United Kingdom, South Africa. South and Brazil.
“I believe that existing vaccines will provide reasonable protection against these new variants. And we may also be able to develop in a timely manner, maybe in four or six months, a consensual strain that ripens in different variants that we see have boosters available for the fall, “Gottlieb said in a statement. interview for “Face the Nation.” So I think there is a reasonable chance that we will be able to stay in the face of this virus as it moves.
Gottlieb said that as a “basic rule”, it can be assumed that vaccines will be about 20% less effective against new strains in Brazil and South Africa. However, he stressed that even if there is a reduction in their effectiveness, “you still get very good protection” against mRNA vaccines, such as photos from Moderna and Pfizer, which have been approved by the FDA.
The new variants, which are circulating globally, were identified in the last months of 2020 and early 2021 and have since been detected in the United States. The British strain, B.1.1.7, was found in 33 states, while the South African strain, B.1.351, was found in two states. Meanwhile, the Brazilian variant, P.1., Was detected in a single state, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
In the United States, South Florida and Southern California have emerged as hot spots for the UK strain, which public health officials say is more contagious. In southern Florida, the new variant accounts for between 5% and 10% of infections, and in southern California, about 5% of infections are the strain in the UK. But for the rest of the country, Gottlieb said the variant accounts for less than 1% of infections.
“I think in most parts of the country it’s probably too little, too late,” he said. “We will probably move on with our vaccines and the seasonal effect of the warm weather.”
The new coronavirus strains stressed the need to accelerate the pace of vaccine distribution, and the Biden administration has taken steps to get more shots into the arms of Americans faster, including by sending doses directly to retail pharmacies.
Gottlieb said the new administration had “made great strides” in distributing the vaccine, delivering up to 2 million doses of vaccine in a few days. He predicted that by the end of March, there will be 250 million vaccines delivered to the market if Johnson & Johnson’s single-dose coronavirus vaccine receives an FDA emergency authorization, with another 100 million. vaccines delivered in April.
“If you assume a distribution of 60-40 between the first dose and the second dose, you assume that about 60% of the supply that comes on the market will reach the first doses. By the end of March, we will deliver 150 million vaccines and another 60 million in April, “he said.” We will run out of demand. I mean, I think we need to start thinking about the demand side of this equation soon. “
In addition to the promise to deliver 100 million doses of vaccine in his first 100 days in office, President Biden also promised that most schools would be reopened within that time. The CDC is expected to unveil guidelines this week on the safe reopening of schools, and CDC director Dr. Rochelle Walensky on Wednesday suggested that vaccinating teachers is not a “precondition” for bringing children back into the classroom.
Gottlieb said implementing mitigation steps, such as wearing masks, keeping your distance and taking precautions in the classroom, should be a condition for schools to open.
“Schools are not a vector of transmission and especially children under the age of 14 are less likely to become infected and transmit the infection,” he said. “I think it would be good to be able to give priority to teachers to vaccinate them so that they are not exposed to the risk of contracting the infection and spreading the infection. But I don’t think it’s necessarily a precondition. I think schools have shown that they can open safely if they take precautions in the classroom. “