Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine should be effective against new variant: Report
(Sourced from PTI)
The coronavirus vaccine developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca should be effective against the highly transmissible new strain of the virus, a UK media report said on Sunday. The Oxford vaccine, which also has a tie-up with the Serum Institute of India, is expected to win approval in the UK before Thursday, speeding up the provision of the jab to the most vulnerable groups.
"New data will show the vaccine is as effective as the Pfizer and Moderna jabs that have already been approved, protecting 95 percent of patients, and is 100 percent effective in preventing severe illness requiring hospital treatment," AstraZeneca's Chief Executive, Pascal Soriot said.
Soriot added, "It should be effective against the new highly transmissible variant of the deadly virus, which put England under complete lockdown again after its rapid spread was detected." Regarding the new strain, a source said, "The latest figures are not good, but the guidance is the MHRA [the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency] will give the Oxford vaccine the go-ahead by mid-week."
In the first trials of the Oxford vaccine, 62 percent overall efficacy was reported, though one group that was accidentally given half dose was 90 percent protected. "We have figured out the winning formula and how to get the efficacy up," Soriot said.
The UK government has ordered 100 million doses of the Oxford vaccine, with around 40 million expected to be available by the end of March. The news of a new vaccine deployment by early-2021 comes as most of the UK remains under tough lockdown conditions with a continued spike in the number of infections.
"The first priority is to vaccinate 12 to 15 million people who would need hospitalization if they caught COVID. Approval for the AstraZeneca vaccine would mean we are well on course to do that by the spring," a senior government official told The Sunday Times.
Mass vaccination centers, including stadiums and conference venues, are being prepared for launch in early January once the regulator approves the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine. The only way to receive the jab in the UK is through the state-funded National Health Service (NHS) established networks, even as there have been reports that private clinics are receiving daily requests from patients attempting to jump the queue.
