Oxford/AstraZeneca jab shows 'reduced efficacy against African variant of coronavirus'

The Oxford/AstraZeneca jab does not appear to offer protection against mild and moderate disease caused by the COVID variant found in South Africa, a recent study has stated. For the purpose of the study, which is still awaiting peer review, 2,000 healthy and young patients infected with 50Y.V2 were given doses of AstraZeneca/Oxford shots. Although none of them died or hospitalised, the jab showed significantly reduced efficacy against the mutant virus.  

The two-dose regime of the vaccine did not show protection against mild to moderate COVID-19 infection caused by the South African variant, Financial Times reported citing authors of the randomised, double-blind study. In addendum, they also revealed that the efficacy of the vaccine against severe cases, hospitalisations and deaths were not yet determined.

This comes as many European countries including France and Germany showed scepticism for the AstraZeneca jab to be administered on the elderly. Currently, only two vaccine manufacturers-Johnson and Johnson and Novavax-have confirmed that their shots were efficient against the South African variant.

Read: France Receives First Batch Of AstraZeneca Vaccines

Pertaining to the same, Moderna asserted that it will test a booster shot and a reformulated vaccine to target the South African variant after studies showed its vaccine was significantly less effective. While Pfizer/ BioNTech have admitted that their vaccine was slightly less effective in a lab study using a pseudovirus with some mutations from the 501Y.V2 variant. However, study results are yet to be published.

France restricts Astrazeneca vaccine 

On Tuesday, February 2, French President Emmanuel Macron said that the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine will only be administered to people of age under 65. This came after the government’s health advisory body said that there is a lack of sufficient data about its effectiveness in older people. This could deeply impact France’s vaccination strategy as the country has prioritised people over the age of 75. 

Read: COVID-19: France Restricts AstraZeneca's Vaccine To People Under 65 Years

Read: France Receives First Batch Of AstraZeneca Vaccines

The recent development completely differs from the guidance given by the European Medicines Agency. It authorised AstraZeneca’s vaccine for use by all adults all across the European Union. The authorities in Germany also raised concerns that the company did not test the vaccine on people over 65 to prove if it works for them or not. 

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