Will the vaccines work?
Vaccine manufacturers are cautiously optimistic. Oxford University, which developed a vaccine with AstraZeneca, has stated: “Despite the appearance of new variants over the past year, vaccines have continued to provide very high levels of protection against severe disease, and there is no evidence so far that Omicron is any different. However, we have the necessary tools and processes in place for rapid development of an updated COVID-19 vaccine if it should be necessary.”
Pfizer also sought to allay fears in a statement: “Pfizer and BioNTech are remaining vigilant and constantly conducting surveillance efforts focused on monitoring for emerging variants that potentially escape protection from our vaccine. We are beginning to run neutralization tests on the new Omicron variant of concern and expect to have initial data in the coming weeks.”
“In the event that a variant emerges that escapes protection of our vaccine, Pfizer and BioNTech expect to be able to develop and produce a tailor-made vaccine against that variant in approximately 100 days, subject to regulatory approval,” the Pfizer spokesperson added.
Tim Spector, a professor of genetic immunology at King’s College London and scientific co-founder of ZOE, which boasts the world’s largest COVID-19 study, commented in an interview with MNT:
“The vaccines are highly likely to be effective against severity, and modestly against infection with Omicron.”
This view was echoed by Dr. Arturo Casadevall, chair of the molecular microbiology and immunology department at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, who told us: “I believe that current vaccines will provide some protection against Omicron. I am optimistic that the vaccinated will have some protection against Omicron and that this protection will continue to reduce symptoms and mortality in those affected.”
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