The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends using the coronavirus vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University even in countries where variants threaten to reduce efficacy.
The …
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends using the coronavirus vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University even in countries where variants threaten to reduce efficacy. The guidance follows news of South Africa halting rollout of AstraZeneca’s vaccine because early findings showed a marked reduction in protection against mild-to-moderate illness amid a variant strain. «Even if there is a reduction in the possibility of this vaccine having a full impact in its protection capacity, especially against severe disease, there is no reason not to recommend its use, even in countries that have the circulation of the variant,» Dr. Alejandro Cravioto, chair of the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE), a panel of experts advising the WHO, said during a briefing. The AstraZeneca vaccine was found to be about 75% effective against a separate strain circulating in the U.K., called B.1.1.7. Prof. Shabir Madhi with the University of the Witwatersrand presented findings to South African health officials on Sunday, on a Phase 2 trial with 2,000 healthy participants aged 18 to 65, showing a vaccine efficacy of 10.
