Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID shot less effective against S.African variant: study

By Derek Francis and Andy Bruce

 

Catherine receives the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine from a member of the Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service at Basingstoke Fire Station, in Basingstoke, Britain February 4, 2021. REUTERS/Peter Cziborra

 

(Reuters) - British drugmaker AstraZeneca <AZN.L> said on Saturday its vaccine developed with the University of Oxford appeared to offer only limited protection against mild disease caused by the South African variant of COVID-19, based on early data from a trial.

 

The study from South Africa's University of the Witwatersrand and Oxford University showed the vaccine had significantly reduced efficacy against the South African variant, according to a Financial Times report published earlier in the day.

 

Among coronavirus variants currently most concerning for scientists and public health experts are the so-called British, South African and Brazilian variants, which appear to spread more swiftly than others.

 

"In this small phase I/II trial, early data has shown limited efficacy against mild disease primarily due to the B.1.351 South African variant," an AstraZeneca spokesman said in response to the FT report.

 

The newspaper said none of the more than 2,000 trial participants had been hospitalised or died.

 

"However, we have not been able to properly ascertain its effect against severe disease and hospitalisation given that subjects were predominantly young healthy adults," the AstraZeneca spokesman said.

 

The company said it believed its vaccine could protect against severe disease, given that the neutralising antibody activity was equivalent to that of other COVID-19 vaccines that have demonstrated protection against severe disease.

 

The trial, which involved 2,026 people of whom half formed the placebo group, has not been peer-reviewed, the FT said.

 

While thousands of individual changes have arisen as the virus mutates into new variants, only a tiny minority are likely to be important or change the virus in an appreciable way, according to the British Medical Journal.

 

"Oxford University and AstraZeneca have started adapting the vaccine against this variant and will advance rapidly through clinical development so that it is ready for Autumn delivery should it be needed," the AstraZeneca spokesman said.

 

On Friday Oxford said their vaccine has similar efficacy against the British coronavirus variant as it does to the previously circulating variants.

 

(Reporting by Derek Francis in Bengaluru; Editing by Timothy Heritage, Daniel Wallis and David Gregorio)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2021-02-07

 

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3 hours ago, rooster59 said:

"Oxford University and AstraZeneca have started adapting the vaccine against this variant and will advance rapidly through clinical development so that it is ready for Autumn delivery should it be needed," the AstraZeneca spokesman said.

These guys will already have been on to this one for several weeks now.

 

 

None of the 2000 trial participants died, that is the big take, not that is not as effective. Who cares if you get a cold, so long as you don't die?

5 hours ago, rooster59 said:

"Oxford University and AstraZeneca have started adapting the vaccine against this variant and will advance rapidly through clinical development so that it is ready for Autumn delivery should it be needed," the AstraZeneca spokesman said.

 

What an idiotic statement, even coming from a spokesman. It is needed, before autumn. Let's hope other vaccines are more effective.

folks think we're saved, that it's all over now and soon we'll be back in saddle - imo this is just the beginning... (partly due to human stupidity and mostly due to the effects of overpopulation) 

5 hours ago, ourmanflint said:

None of the 2000 trial participants died, that is the big take, not that is not as effective. Who cares if you get a cold, so long as you don't die?

Because part of the hope of a vaccine was to create herd immunity, that is prevent the disease from spreading and eventually wiping it out, by rendering such a large proportion of the population immune that the disease in individual people would never be able to transmit because it would only encounter those already immune.

 

People with mild disease don't die, but they do transmit.

 

The AZ vaccine cannot now be hoped to contribute to herd immunity without serious modification.

41 minutes ago, partington said:

Because part of the hope of a vaccine was to create herd immunity, that is prevent the disease from spreading and eventually wiping it out, by rendering such a large proportion of the population immune that the disease in individual people would never be able to transmit because it would only encounter those already immune.

 

People with mild disease don't die, but they do transmit.

 

The AZ vaccine cannot now be hoped to contribute to herd immunity without serious modification.

Don't jump to any conclusions.  This is one small study and has not been peer reviewed.

6 hours ago, ourmanflint said:

None of the 2000 trial participants died, that is the big take, not that is not as effective. Who cares if you get a cold, so long as you don't die?

They were mostly young and healthy adults. That is why they did not die. It needs to be tested with the elderly and those at-risk. 

As long as travel between regions is so easy we will not contain this.  

4 hours ago, Kelsall said:

Don't jump to any conclusions.  This is one small study and has not been peer reviewed.

Yes , that's very true. Let's hope it isn't confirmed.

 

21 hours ago, Caldera said:

Let's hope other vaccines are more effective.

Moderna, Pfizer, and Sputnik are. The AZ vaccine is turning out to be a pig in a poke. 

On 2/7/2021 at 10:28 AM, rooster59 said:

Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID shot less effective against S.African variant: study

 

Not "less effective" but "minimally" effective. 

Quote

the AstraZeneca vaccine did not significantly reduce the risk of mild or moderate Covid-19 from the 501Y.V2 variant that caused a second wave of infections starting late last year.    https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/south-africa-covid-variant-oxford-astrazeneca-vaccine-b1798952.html

 

Sure sounds to me that all these AZ shots are virtually useless in the face of the mutation.

It looks like there will be plenty of AZ vaccines ultimately available to the EU! ????

I have heard that covid is not like a normal flu, and it can also affect your pancreas

and maybe your liver as well.  I keep hearing the experts on this forum who seem to think

they know a lot, but am very wary of their advice, like the one about using bleach...

   Losing your taste and smell is not something I want to have happen.  I will just be happy

when people are no longer dying in the numbers that they are now.  I do wonder how many 

people in the refugee camps in all areas are doing?   

Geezer

 

18 hours ago, John Drake said:

 

Not "less effective" but "minimally" effective. 

 

Sure sounds to me that all these AZ shots are virtually useless in the face of the mutation.

Why so many people think in a negative way. 

That's not helping, at least they are reporting the findings, they have already said they can alter doses to new strains quite easily. 

Also they are saying a booster dose may be a good thing in a year's time after the initial 2 doses.