LONDON: The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine may be less able to protect against infection with a South African variant of the virus that has a worrying mutation, according to results of a British study released on Tuesday.
The preliminary data, which have yet to be peer-reviewed and involve a small number of patients, also suggest a significant proportion of people aged over 80 may not be sufficiently protected against new variants of the virus until they have had two doses of the vaccine, researchers leading the study said.
“Of particular concern ... is the emergence of the E484K mutation (found in the South African variant), which so far has only been seen in a relatively small number of individuals,” said Ravi Gupta, a professor at Cambridge University’s Institute of Therapeutic Immunology & Infectious Disease, who co-led the study.
“Our work suggests the vaccine is likely to be less effective when dealing with this mutation.”
Britain and many other countries have begun rolling out the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine to try to stem the spread of the pandemic disease.
While the highly effective vaccine is designed to be given in two doses around three weeks apart, Britain’s government has opted to extend that time gap to up to 12 weeks to try to swiftly reach as many people as possible with a first dose.
The study released on Tuesday used blood samples from 26 people who had received their first dose of the Pfizer vaccine three weeks previously to test whether the shot would protect against two variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus — the UK variant, known as B1.1.7., and the South African variant, which has the E484K mutation.
When testing the blood serum samples, all but seven of the participants had levels of antibodies sufficiently high to neutralize the virus — that is, to protect against infection, the researchers said.
When the scientists added all the key mutations found in B1.1.7 variant, however, they found the efficacy of the vaccine was affected, with, on average, two-fold higher concentrations of antibody required to neutralize the virus.
When the E484K mutation was added, even greater levels of antibody were required for the virus to be neutralized — with an average of a 10-fold increase needed, the researchers said.
Dami Collier, who co-led the work, said the findings suggest “a significant proportion of people aged over 80 may not have developed protective neutralising antibodies against infection three weeks after their first dose of the vaccine.”
Clinical trial data released last week on two other COVID-19 vaccines — from Novavax and Johnson & Johnson — also found the South African coronavirus reduced their ability to protect against the disease.
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Study suggests Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine less effective against South African variant
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Study suggests Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine less effective against South African variant
- Britain and many other countries have begun rolling out the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine to try to stem the spread of the pandemic disease
- When the scientists added all the key mutations found in the B1.1.7 and E484K variants, they found the efficacy of the vaccine was affected
Arrivederci Milan Cortina. Italian organizers contemplating Rome bid for 2040 Summer Olympics
- The entire idea of the Milan Cortina Games was born out of the rejection of Rome’s bid for the 2024 Olympics by then-Mayor Virginia Raggi a decade ago
CORTINA D’AMPEZZO: Goodbye Milan Cortina. See you in Rome in 2040?
Now that the just-concluded Winter Olympics have been hailed for setting “a new, very high standard” by IOC President Kirsty Coventry, Italian organizers are contemplating a bid for the 2040 Summer Games.
“I think our country deserves another Summer Olympics,” Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) president Luciano Buonfiglio said over the weekend. “But let’s take it step by step. A candidacy has to be agreed on and shared with the government.”
The idea of the Milan Cortina Games was born out of the rejection of Rome’s bid for the 2024 Olympics by then-Mayor Virginia Raggi a decade ago. That came four years after then-Premier Mario Monti scrapped the city’s candidacy for the 2020 Games because of financial concerns; and after a Rome bid was narrowly defeated by Athens in the final round of voting for 2004.
“Scars help you remember” the defeats, said Giovanni Malagò, the head of the Milan Cortina organizing committee and former CONI president.
But Malagò, who is also an IOC member, suggested that Rome has a couple of key advantages in Olympic circles: its “unique” history of failed bids and the centerpiece venue for any Summer candidacy.
“Rome has a 70,000-seat stadium with an athletics track — which is huge in terms of sustainability,” Malagò said.
The existing Stadio Olimpico and surrounding Foro Italico complex would be a natural setting for athletics and swimming — the two biggest sports at the Summer Games.
Rome Mayor Roberto Gualtieri said during the Milan Cortina Games that he believes his city has “the conditions” for another bid — especially after welcoming more than 33 million people to the capital and Vatican for the 2025 Holy Year.
“If it’s considered a realistic goal, I’m open to collaborating with the IOC, government and CONI in order to create the most competitive bid possible,” Gualtieri said. “A capital like Rome should not be afraid of big challenges. The Jubilee showed off our organizational capacity for big events.”
With the 2028 Games coming up in Los Angeles and 2032 in Brisbane, Australia; and India and Qatar bidding for 2036; the 2040 Summer Games seem destined to return to Europe.
“Now is not the time to discuss this. It’s premature, wrong and even counterproductive,” Malagò said. “We need to understand the geopolitical landscape for post-2032.”
Malagò wouldn’t elaborate on speculation that he will run for Rome mayor after he finishes off his Milan Cortina duties, saying he would discuss “ideas that I have in mind” after next month’s Paralympics.
Andrea Abodi, Italy’s Minister for Sport and Youth, added: “It doesn’t necessarily require an announcement to build a winning bid.”
Now that the just-concluded Winter Olympics have been hailed for setting “a new, very high standard” by IOC President Kirsty Coventry, Italian organizers are contemplating a bid for the 2040 Summer Games.
“I think our country deserves another Summer Olympics,” Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) president Luciano Buonfiglio said over the weekend. “But let’s take it step by step. A candidacy has to be agreed on and shared with the government.”
The idea of the Milan Cortina Games was born out of the rejection of Rome’s bid for the 2024 Olympics by then-Mayor Virginia Raggi a decade ago. That came four years after then-Premier Mario Monti scrapped the city’s candidacy for the 2020 Games because of financial concerns; and after a Rome bid was narrowly defeated by Athens in the final round of voting for 2004.
“Scars help you remember” the defeats, said Giovanni Malagò, the head of the Milan Cortina organizing committee and former CONI president.
But Malagò, who is also an IOC member, suggested that Rome has a couple of key advantages in Olympic circles: its “unique” history of failed bids and the centerpiece venue for any Summer candidacy.
“Rome has a 70,000-seat stadium with an athletics track — which is huge in terms of sustainability,” Malagò said.
The existing Stadio Olimpico and surrounding Foro Italico complex would be a natural setting for athletics and swimming — the two biggest sports at the Summer Games.
Rome Mayor Roberto Gualtieri said during the Milan Cortina Games that he believes his city has “the conditions” for another bid — especially after welcoming more than 33 million people to the capital and Vatican for the 2025 Holy Year.
“If it’s considered a realistic goal, I’m open to collaborating with the IOC, government and CONI in order to create the most competitive bid possible,” Gualtieri said. “A capital like Rome should not be afraid of big challenges. The Jubilee showed off our organizational capacity for big events.”
With the 2028 Games coming up in Los Angeles and 2032 in Brisbane, Australia; and India and Qatar bidding for 2036; the 2040 Summer Games seem destined to return to Europe.
“Now is not the time to discuss this. It’s premature, wrong and even counterproductive,” Malagò said. “We need to understand the geopolitical landscape for post-2032.”
Malagò wouldn’t elaborate on speculation that he will run for Rome mayor after he finishes off his Milan Cortina duties, saying he would discuss “ideas that I have in mind” after next month’s Paralympics.
Andrea Abodi, Italy’s Minister for Sport and Youth, added: “It doesn’t necessarily require an announcement to build a winning bid.”
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