Publishing date: Feb 04, 2021 • February 4, 2021 • 2 minute read •
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LONDON The world faces around 4,000 variants of the virus that causes COVID-19, prompting a race to improve vaccines, Britain said on Thursday, as researchers began to explore mixing doses of the Pfizer and AstraZeneca shots.
Thousands of variants have been documented as the virus mutates, including the so-called British, South African and Brazilian variants which appear to spread more swiftly than others.
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British Vaccine Deployment Minister Nadhim Zahawi said it was very unlikely that the current vaccines would not work against the new variants.
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Britain on Thursday said that there are at least 4,000 variants of the virus that causes COVID-19, while pushing for improving inoculation measures across the globe
Britain on Thursday said that there are at least 4,000 variants of the virus that causes COVID-19, while pushing for improving inoculation measures across the globe.
The country is also exploring the possibility of mixing the doses of AstraZeneca and Pfizer vaccines. The virus is currently undergoing multiple mutations. The British variant was among the first to be discovered. Since then, multiple variants have been found across the world including in South Africa and Brazil.
Thousands of variants have been documented as the virus mutates, including the so-called British, South African and Brazilian variants, which appear to spread more swiftly than others.
British Vaccine Deployment Minister Nadhim Zahawi said it was very unlikely that the current vaccines would not work against the new variants. Its very unlikely that the current vaccine won t be effective on the variants whether in Kent or other variants, especially when it comes to severe illness and hospitalisation, Mr Zahawi told Sky News. All manufacturers - Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, Oxford-AstraZeneca and others - are looking at how they can improve their vaccine to make sure that we are ready for any variant - there are about 4,000 variants around the world of Covid now.
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LONDON (Reuters) - British researchers are to explore mixing doses of the Pfizer and AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines in a world first trial aimed at finding new ways to swiftly reduce coronavirus infections as new mutated variants emerge.
While thousands of individual changes have arisen as the virus mutates on replication and evolves 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.
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.
Very unlikely current vaccines would not work against new variants, says British minister
Reuters
February 04, 2021
People walk behind a sign showing the way to the NHS Vaccination Centre and the testing centre parking lots, amid the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) outbreak, in Manchester, Britain January 11, 2021. PHOTO: REUTERS/FILE
LONDON:
The world faces around 4,000 variants of the virus that causes Covid-19, prompting a race to improve vaccines, Britain said on Thursday, as researchers began to explore mixing doses of the Pfizer and AstraZeneca shots in a world first.
Thousands of variants have been documented as the virus mutates, including the so-called British, South African and Brazilian variants which appear to spread more swiftly than others.