Moderna has stated that its COVID-19 vaccine can protect against worrying emerging variants of the coronavirus however it is taking the additional precaution of testing a potential booster dose against the mutant strain which is discovered in South Africa. In Mondays statement, Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel said that the move is due to "an abundance of caution" following the preliminary laboratory tests suggested that its shot produces a weaker immune response to the variant.

Vaccine manufacturers are testing their shots against the mutated strains of coronavirus including the two variants that first emerged in Britain and South Africa. In a study that was conducted with the National Institutes of Health, Moderna had used blood samples from the eight vaccine beneficiaries and few immunized monkeys for laboratory testing against the mutated viruses.

The vaccine is effective against both the variants but researchers had found a six-fold decline in the levels of "neutralizing antibodies" against the mutant strain from South Africa. Moderna said that as the levels are still protective, it has started developing a booster vaccine to target the new strain, called the B.1.351 variant. Moderna will also test whether only giving an extra dose of the original vaccine can be helpful.

Pfizer, who is making a similar COVID-19 vaccine, had reported that its vaccine shot too seems to be effective against the mutant strain from Britain. However, other research has raised certain questions about the variant which is from South Africa.

Source: ET Healthworld