Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine found to be effective against UK COVID-19 strain

The Covid-19 vaccine developed jointly by Pfizer Inc and BioNTech SE is likely to be effective against the rapidly spreading new mutant strain of the virus that was first detected in the United Kingdom, a study has found.

As per the reports of the World Health Organisation, the UK strain of the novel coronavirus has spread to almost 60 countries including India. There were huge concerns that this new strain could bypass the immune defences built up by vaccines being rolled out worldwide.

However, research conducted at BioNTech’s headquarters in Mainz found that the antibodies developed in the blood of the volunteers through the vaccine neutralised all the new strain’s mutations as well.

Through the results, the research team concluded that it is “very unlikely that the new variant of the coronavirus will escape” protection from the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine. The BioNTech team said that it is ready to adapt the vaccine to tackle a new strain in roughly six weeks.