Results of a new Israeli study found out that the COVID-19 South African variant can "break through" some of the Pfizer vaccine's protection. The mutation of the virus that caused the global pandemic is still the primary concern of different scientists and experts worldwide. It may affect the efficacy of the new vaccines that are hopefully expected to help the pandemic.
South African Variant Can Evade Pfizer
According to a recently published article on CNBC News, the COVID-19 South African variant can evade some protection of Pfizer-BioNTech's vaccine, as per the findings of the researchers of Tel Aviv University and Clalit in Israel.
The largest healthcare agency stated that nearly 400 patients tested positive for COVID-19 despite getting at least one injection of the vaccine. They compared them to the same number of sick and unvaccinated individuals.
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Prevalence of the South African Variant
The researchers discovered that the prevalence of the South African strain, known as B.1.351, was about eight times higher in people who were administered with two doses of the vaccine than in those who were not vaccinated, according to a published report in ALJAZEERA.
The findings, which were released online over the weekend, showed that the B.1.351 strain can "break through" the vaccine's defense than the initial strain, according to the study's authors.
Professor Adi Stern, who headed the research, said, "Based on patterns in the general population, we would have expected just one case of the South African variant, but we saw eight. We can say it's less effective, but more research is needed to establish exactly how much."
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The U.S. CDC Director Released a Statement Last Month
Last month, CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky released a grim message to reporters, saying she is concerned that the United States is facing "impending doom" as variants spread and regular pre-COVID-19 events resume, threatening to bring more people to the hospital.
She said, "I'm going to pause here, I'm going to lose the script, and I'm going to reflect on the recurring feeling I have of impending doom. We have so much to look forward to, so much promise and potential of where we are and so much reason for hope, but right now I'm scared."
Israel's Vaccination Campaign
In December, Israel initiated its nationwide vaccine program, prioritizing those above the age of 60, healthcare professionals, and people with comorbid conditions. By February, it had surpassed the rest of the world in vaccines, immunizing millions of its population against the virus, according to a published report in The Times of Israel.
Pfizer and the Israeli Ministry of Health signed a cooperation agreement in January to monitor the vaccine's real-world effects. The biggest limitation of the analysis, according to the researchers, was the small sample size. According to the researchers, B.1.351 accounted for just about 1 percent of all COVID-19 cases. B.1.1.7, the form first found in the United Kingdom, is more common.
