Lab test shows Pfizer Covid vaccine is effective against Brazil variant

[doireallyneedaname]

www.independent.co.uk/news/health/covid-brazil-variant-pfizer-vaccine-b1814332.html

In terms of why it’s not headline news:
The AZ report is just an unnamed source saying it is effective- no evidence yet
The Pfizer study is promising but it’s just showing that plasma from vaccinated individuals can neutralise the mutant virus in the lab. It’s not the same as a vaccine trial confirming that the vaccine efficacy is > say 50% or prevents hospitalisation and death.

Hopefully both vaccines will prove effective against the variants but we don’t have evidence yet from trials to say they are.

Firstly the Oxford vaccine HASN'T shown much efficacy with the SA strain, although it appears to have some effect on the Brazilian strain. Not sure how reliable EITHER set of results are though - it's not real world data.

With the Pfizer vaccine these lab experiments give cause for optimism, but caution is necessary. Nothing is yet guaranteed so it's still best to keep these strains out of the UK if possible.

Doesn't change a thing regarding the evolution of a vaccine resistant strain since BOTH these variants emerged within non-vaccinated populations. Some dolts think that covid is a one-trick pony, but clearly it isn't - its already evolved multiple times since first infecting humans and it will evolve again.

Months back there were lots of armchair scientists proclaiming that it would evolve into a more harmless virus because that's what viruses do... well no, they don't, and it didn't - the Kent variant for instance is considerably more lethal AND contagious than the original covid-19 strain. That doesn't mean anything either though - the next mutation could make it more or less lethal because for THIS virus, lethality isn't an evolutionary driver.

What IS almost certain is that the next variant to arise in the UK, will be one that has a greater ability to avoid established immunity, whether from vaccines or previous infection. WHEN this occurs and to what extent the immunity level drops is critical to whether or not we once again lose control of infections.

@notrub

Firstly the Oxford vaccine HASN'T shown much efficacy with the SA strain, although it appears to have some effect on the Brazilian strain. Not sure how reliable EITHER set of results are though - it's not real world data.

With the Pfizer vaccine these lab experiments give cause for optimism, but caution is necessary. Nothing is yet guaranteed so it's still best to keep these strains out of the UK if possible.

Doesn't change a thing regarding the evolution of a vaccine resistant strain since BOTH these variants emerged within non-vaccinated populations. Some dolts think that covid is a one-trick pony, but clearly it isn't - its already evolved multiple times since first infecting humans and it will evolve again.

Months back there were lots of armchair scientists proclaiming that it would evolve into a more harmless virus because that's what viruses do... well no, they don't, and it didn't - the Kent variant for instance is considerably more lethal AND contagious than the original covid-19 strain. That doesn't mean anything either though - the next mutation could make it more or less lethal because for THIS virus, lethality isn't an evolutionary driver.

What IS almost certain is that the next variant to arise in the UK, will be one that has a greater ability to avoid established immunity, whether from vaccines or previous infection. WHEN this occurs and to what extent the immunity level drops is critical to whether or not we once again lose control of infections.

Try not to be too positive 😷🙄

@notrub - it’s a good job that the scientists are a little more positive than you regarding the vaccines and variants 😂

Yep I think I’ll listen to the scientists on this one rather than speculation on here about new variants that we don’t even knows exist yet.

[quote Inastatus]@notrub - it’s a good job that the scientists are a little more positive than you regarding the vaccines and variants 😂[/quote]
"The scientists"?

I think you mean "reporters".

Nearly every relevant scientist including Sarah Gilbert has said exactly the same, because this is basic evolution.

@Delatron

Yep I think I’ll listen to the scientists on this one rather than speculation on here about new variants that we don’t even knows exist yet.

I bet you drive at 60mph around blind corners too because you take the view if you can't see something blocking the road, it can't be there.

@notrub what a great analogy 🙄. That’s a very similar situation.

No I don’t.

How strange of me to listen to scientists with years and years of experience over random mumsnetters.