S. African Covid variant better at bypassing Pfizer/BioNTech jab: Israeli study
Issued on: 11/04/2021 -
Issued on: 11/04/2021 -
Israel's vaccination campaign has seen 5.3 million people receive a first dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, while 4.9 million, or 53 percent of the population, have had two shots AHMAD GHARABLI AFP/File
Jerusalem (AFP)
The South African coronavirus variant is better at "breaking through" the defences of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine than other forms of the virus, Israeli experts said Sunday.
However, one of the authors told AFP that while the study showed the variant to be relatively successful in infecting vaccinated people, it did not provide any data on whether it could generate serious illness among vaccinees.
The study by Tel Aviv University and Clalit Health Services, Israel's largest healthcare provider, compared 400 unvaccinated people infected with Covid-19 to 400 partially or fully vaccinated people who also had the virus.
According to the study, published as a draft on Saturday and currently being peer reviewed, the South African variant accounted for less than one percent of coronavirus cases in Israel.
But, among the 150 people in the study who were fully vaccinated and had Covid-19, "the prevalence rate (of the South African variant) was eight times higher than the rate in the unvaccinated (individuals)," the study said.
"This means that the Pfizer-BioNtech vaccine, though highly protective, probably does not provide the same level of protection against the South African (B.1.351) variant of the coronavirus," the study added.
"The South African variant is able, to some extent, to break through the vaccine's protection," said professor Adi Stern of Tel Aviv University's Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, one of the study's authors.
Stern told AFP Sunday the study did not assess whether the fully vaccinated Israelis with the South African variant -- eight people in total -- developed serious illness.
"Since we found a very small number of vaccinees infected with B.1.351, it is statistically meaningless to report disease outcomes," he said.
- Preventative measures -
Two studies published in February in the New England Journal of Medicine conducted by principal vaccine manufacturers Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna showed that the presence of antibodies after vaccination was less pronounced in people exposed to the South African variant, indicating diminished protection.
The Israeli study was the first real-world assessment of the South African variant's ability to bypass a vaccine.
Israel's vaccination campaign has seen 5.3 million people receive a first dose, while 4.9 million, or 53 percent of the population, have had two shots.
An earlier study by Clalit on 1.2 million Israelis found that the Pfizer/BioNTech jab gave 94 percent protection against Covid-19.
Following the successful vaccination rollout, Israel has eased many of its restrictions but various measures remain in place including mask-wearing and a "green passport" system that grants access to certain sites only to those vaccinated.
Ran Balicer of Clalit, one of the study's authors, told AFP the results could help inform states on how best to ease restrictions.
Balicer said inoculations, plus mask-wearing and other safety measures had still likely helped limit the spread of the South African variant, despite its apparent ability to break through the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine.
A combination of all these factors "are most likely... preventing the virus strains, including the South African one, from spreading" significantly in Israel, he said.
"As we taper down the non-pharmaceutical interventions, we must do so gradually to ensure we do not cross a threshold that would enable these variants to spread."
© 2021 AFP
Jerusalem (AFP)
The South African coronavirus variant is better at "breaking through" the defences of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine than other forms of the virus, Israeli experts said Sunday.
However, one of the authors told AFP that while the study showed the variant to be relatively successful in infecting vaccinated people, it did not provide any data on whether it could generate serious illness among vaccinees.
The study by Tel Aviv University and Clalit Health Services, Israel's largest healthcare provider, compared 400 unvaccinated people infected with Covid-19 to 400 partially or fully vaccinated people who also had the virus.
According to the study, published as a draft on Saturday and currently being peer reviewed, the South African variant accounted for less than one percent of coronavirus cases in Israel.
But, among the 150 people in the study who were fully vaccinated and had Covid-19, "the prevalence rate (of the South African variant) was eight times higher than the rate in the unvaccinated (individuals)," the study said.
"This means that the Pfizer-BioNtech vaccine, though highly protective, probably does not provide the same level of protection against the South African (B.1.351) variant of the coronavirus," the study added.
"The South African variant is able, to some extent, to break through the vaccine's protection," said professor Adi Stern of Tel Aviv University's Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, one of the study's authors.
Stern told AFP Sunday the study did not assess whether the fully vaccinated Israelis with the South African variant -- eight people in total -- developed serious illness.
"Since we found a very small number of vaccinees infected with B.1.351, it is statistically meaningless to report disease outcomes," he said.
- Preventative measures -
Two studies published in February in the New England Journal of Medicine conducted by principal vaccine manufacturers Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna showed that the presence of antibodies after vaccination was less pronounced in people exposed to the South African variant, indicating diminished protection.
The Israeli study was the first real-world assessment of the South African variant's ability to bypass a vaccine.
Israel's vaccination campaign has seen 5.3 million people receive a first dose, while 4.9 million, or 53 percent of the population, have had two shots.
An earlier study by Clalit on 1.2 million Israelis found that the Pfizer/BioNTech jab gave 94 percent protection against Covid-19.
Following the successful vaccination rollout, Israel has eased many of its restrictions but various measures remain in place including mask-wearing and a "green passport" system that grants access to certain sites only to those vaccinated.
Ran Balicer of Clalit, one of the study's authors, told AFP the results could help inform states on how best to ease restrictions.
Balicer said inoculations, plus mask-wearing and other safety measures had still likely helped limit the spread of the South African variant, despite its apparent ability to break through the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine.
A combination of all these factors "are most likely... preventing the virus strains, including the South African one, from spreading" significantly in Israel, he said.
"As we taper down the non-pharmaceutical interventions, we must do so gradually to ensure we do not cross a threshold that would enable these variants to spread."
© 2021 AFP
India bans export of Covid-19 treatment drug remdesivir
Issued on: 11/04/2021 -
Issued on: 11/04/2021 -
India has banned the export of remdesivir as infections soared to a new daily high and hospitals grappled with increasing demand for the coronavirus treatment drug Ulrich Perrey POOL/AFP/File
New Delhi (AFP)
India on Sunday banned the export of remdesivir as infections soared to a new daily high and hospitals grappled with increasing demand for the coronavirus treatment drug.
The vast nation has experienced a sharp rise in cases in recent weeks, adding 152,000 new cases on Sunday to take the toll to 13.3 million infections.
The health ministry said the surge in cases has led to a "sudden spike in demand" for the antiviral drug.
"There is a potential of further increase in this demand in the coming days," the ministry said in a statement, adding that the export ban would be in place "till the situation improves".
Remdesivir, made by US pharma giant Gilead, was one of the first drugs to show relative promise in shortening the recovery time for some Covid-19 patients.
But a World Health Organisation-backed study has said that the drug had "little or no effect" on Covid-19 mortality.
Gilead last year signed licensing agreements with generic pharmaceutical producers based in India, Pakistan and Egypt, allowing them to manufacture remdesivir for distribution in 127 mostly low and lower-middle income nations.
Seven firms in India -- the world's biggest producer of generic drugs -- are licensed to manufacture remdesivir.
They have a monthly production capacity of up to 3.88 million injection doses, the ministry added.
The ban came as India's wealthiest state Maharashtra, which has been the main driver of the infection spike, explored announcing a complete lockdown from as early as Monday.
India had shied away from harsh restrictions since a months-long nationwide lockdown -- one of the strictest in the world -- was gradually lifted last year, amid fears of shattering the already battered economy.
But local authorities have increasingly imposed restrictions, including Maharashtra's weekend lockdown and night curfew, as cases continue to rise.
The chief minister of Delhi, India's capital, said Sunday that his government was not in favour of a lockdown, but would consider the drastic measure if hospital beds start running out.
He added that 65 percent of new Covid-19 patients were less than 45 years old.
India, home to the world's biggest vaccine manufacturer, has meanwhile slowed its export of shots due to the spike as several states have warned in recent days that their stocks were running low.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday launched a four-day "vaccine festival" to kick start a "second battle against corona" in a bid to speed up a sluggish vaccination rollout.
© 2021 AFP
New Delhi (AFP)
India on Sunday banned the export of remdesivir as infections soared to a new daily high and hospitals grappled with increasing demand for the coronavirus treatment drug.
The vast nation has experienced a sharp rise in cases in recent weeks, adding 152,000 new cases on Sunday to take the toll to 13.3 million infections.
The health ministry said the surge in cases has led to a "sudden spike in demand" for the antiviral drug.
"There is a potential of further increase in this demand in the coming days," the ministry said in a statement, adding that the export ban would be in place "till the situation improves".
Remdesivir, made by US pharma giant Gilead, was one of the first drugs to show relative promise in shortening the recovery time for some Covid-19 patients.
But a World Health Organisation-backed study has said that the drug had "little or no effect" on Covid-19 mortality.
Gilead last year signed licensing agreements with generic pharmaceutical producers based in India, Pakistan and Egypt, allowing them to manufacture remdesivir for distribution in 127 mostly low and lower-middle income nations.
Seven firms in India -- the world's biggest producer of generic drugs -- are licensed to manufacture remdesivir.
They have a monthly production capacity of up to 3.88 million injection doses, the ministry added.
The ban came as India's wealthiest state Maharashtra, which has been the main driver of the infection spike, explored announcing a complete lockdown from as early as Monday.
India had shied away from harsh restrictions since a months-long nationwide lockdown -- one of the strictest in the world -- was gradually lifted last year, amid fears of shattering the already battered economy.
But local authorities have increasingly imposed restrictions, including Maharashtra's weekend lockdown and night curfew, as cases continue to rise.
The chief minister of Delhi, India's capital, said Sunday that his government was not in favour of a lockdown, but would consider the drastic measure if hospital beds start running out.
He added that 65 percent of new Covid-19 patients were less than 45 years old.
India, home to the world's biggest vaccine manufacturer, has meanwhile slowed its export of shots due to the spike as several states have warned in recent days that their stocks were running low.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday launched a four-day "vaccine festival" to kick start a "second battle against corona" in a bid to speed up a sluggish vaccination rollout.
© 2021 AFP
'Up to 80 percent' in Sicily refuse AZ vaccine: president
Issued on: 11/04/2021
Italy's vaccination drive is already struggling and refusal of the AstraZeneca jab could slow it further ANDREAS SOLARO AFP/File
Rome (AFP)
Up to 80 percent of people offered the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine In Sicily refuse it out of fears over its safety, according to the southern Italian region's president Nello Musumeci.
Public confidence in the Anglo-Swedish jab has been badly shaken by reports linking it to rare, but potentially fatal, blood clots, and by conflicting recommendations on its use.
"In Sicily, there is an 80-percent refusal rate of the AstraZeneca vaccine. Every 100 people, 80 say no," Musumeci said late Saturday in Catania, according to multiple media reports.
Musumeci added: "It is natural" for people to be particularly concerned, "but we have a duty to believe scientists when they say it is more dangerous not to get vaccinated than to get vaccinated."
The president actually meant to say "up to 80 percent," his spokeswoman Michela Giuffrida told AFP on Sunday, adding, as an example, that in the town of Syracuse the refusal rate was "30 percent."
A large-scale boycott of the AstraZeneca jab would put Italy's vaccination plan -- already struggling with supply shortages and botched priorities -- under further stress.
- 86 cases out of 25 million -
Earlier this week, the European Medicine Agency (EMA) said blood clots should be listed as a "very rare" side effect of the AstraZeneca vaccine, but added that benefits continued to outweigh risks.
The announcement came after EMA examined 86 blood clotting cases, 18 of which were fatal, out of around 25 million people in Europe who received the AstraZeneca vaccine. Most of the cases were in women aged under 60.
In response to the findings, Italy -- which initially recommended the AstraZeneca vaccine for those in the 18-55 age group -- restricted its use to those aged 60 and above.
Similar action was taken in other European countries.
On Friday, the EU medicines regulator also said it was probing a possible link between the AstraZeneca jab and a separate blood vessel disorder causing tissue swelling and a drop in blood pressure.
But the Italian government's top scientific advisor on the coronavirus crisis, Franco Locatelli, insisted in a Sunday interview that fears over the Anglo-Swedish vaccine were "understandable, but unjustified."
"I say that we are offering a vaccine that is safe and effective, which people must accept. That said, if we find ourselves facing a disarming number of defections, we will reconsider the issue," he told La Stampa daily.
Italy is one of the countries worst hit by the pandemic, with almost 114,000 dead, but its vaccination drive has been criticised for failing to focus on the most at-risk group -- the elderly.
People in their 70s are among those most neglected, with only 2.7 percent fully vaccinated compared with 4.1 per cent for people in their 20s.
Overall, Italy has administered almost 13 million doses and fully vaccinated 3.9 million people -- equal to around 6.5 per cent of a total population of some 60 million.
© 2021 AFP
No comments:
Post a Comment