For the second week in a row, Massachusetts health officials revealed that fewer communities are at the highest risk of coronavirus transmission than the week.
Jan 26, 2021
Jan 26, 2021
BOSTON â Medical experts are worried that a new, highly contagious strain of the coronavirus could lead to another surge of infections and hospitalizations.
State health officials reported at least two cases of the new COVID-19 variant, known as B.1.1.7, in Massachusetts. They include the infection of a Boston woman in her 20s who recently traveled to the United Kingdom, where the variant was first detected.
Research has shown the new COVID-19 variant is more contagious than other strains, medical experts say, and could complicate efforts to prevent spread of the virus as the first vaccines are rolled out.
Moderna testing COVID vaccine booster to combat new variant
Updated Jan 26, 2021;
By Chris Lisinski | State House News Service
Cambridge-based Moderna will launch a clinical trial to study a potential COVID-19 booster shot after finding that its vaccine does not produce as significant a response to a new variant of the highly infectious virus first detected in South Africa, the company announced Monday.
Moderna said the vaccine is still protective against two new, more infectious variants B.1.1.7, first identified in the United Kingdom, and B.1.351, first identified in South Africa but that it produces six times fewer neutralizing antibodies in cases of the South African variant. In response, Moderna plans to test a booster of its two-dose vaccine to increase immunization against new strains and start a clinical study of another booster aimed specifically at the B.1.351 strain.
A syringe and a bottle reading Vaccine COVID-19 next to the Moderna biotech company logo. (Joel Saget/AFP via Getty Images)
Cambridge-based Moderna will launch a clinical trial to study a potential COVID-19 booster shot after finding that its vaccine does not produce as significant a response to a new variant of the highly infectious virus first detected in South Africa, the company announced Monday.
Moderna said the vaccine is still protective against two new, more infectious variants B.1.1.7, first identified in the United Kingdom, and B.1.351, first identified in South Africa but that it produces six times fewer neutralizing antibodies in cases of the South African variant.
Experts welcome announcement that Moderna vaccine works on coronavirus variants, but concerns remain
By Martin Finucane and Jonathan Saltzman Globe Staff,Updated January 25, 2021, 3:23 p.m.
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Samantha Schuko, RN, drew up a dose of the Moderna vaccine during the opening day of vaccinations for first responders at the Gillette Stadium/CIC Health COVID-19 Vaccination Site, the first large-scale vaccination site in Massachusetts.Jessica Rinaldi/Globe Staff
Experts on Monday welcomed Modernaâs announcement that the companyâs vaccine would protect people against variants of the virus that recently emerged in Britain and South Africa.
But they also noted that the companyâs news came with a caveat: The vaccine appears to be less effective against the South Africa variant, so the company is studying whether a booster shot, in addition to the current two-shot regimen, will provide more protection.