The vaccines against COVID-19 of AstraZeneca and Pfizer / BioNTech remain widely effective against the new Delta and Kappa strains of the new coronavirus, first identified in India, according to a scientific study supporting the ongoing impetus for vaccinations.
The study, by researchers at the University of Oxford and published in the journal Cell, examines the ability of antibodies in the blood of people who have been vaccinated with these two-dose drugs to neutralize the most contagious strains of Delta and Kappa, according to a statement. .
"There is no evidence of extensive escape, which suggests that the current generation of vaccines will provide protection against B.1.617," the review said, referring to the Delta and Kappa variants with a commonly used code.
However, the concentration of neutralizing antibodies in the blood decreased slightly, which could lead to some important infections, they warned.
Last week, a UK Public Health Service (PHE) analysis showed that the Pfizer / BioNTech and AstraZeneca vaccines offer over 90% protection against Delta-type treatments.
"It encourages us to see that the non-clinical results published by Oxford and these data, together with a recent early analysis by Real Health England, provide a positive indication that our vaccine may have a significant effect on Delta variant ", states in an announcement issued separately the executive vice president of AstraZeneca Menelaos Pangalos.
The delta strain of the new coronavirus is becoming the world-leading version of the new coronavirus, the World Health Organization (WHO) chief scientist said on Friday.
Oxford researchers also analyzed patterns of re-infection in people who had previously COVID-19. The risk of re-infection with the delta strain appeared to be particularly high in humans previously infected with Beta and Gamma, which were first identified in South Africa and Brazil respectively.
In contrast, previous infection with Alpha, or B117, the variant strain first identified in Britain, provided "reasonable" protection against all variants of concern, making it a model on which next-generation vaccines could be developed.
"B117 may be a candidate for vaccines for new variants, which will provide broader protection," said the researchers.
Source: RES-EAP