Studies of the coronavirus strain in South Africa are raising concerns about the immune response

JOHANNESBURG – Three new laboratory studies have raised concerns that the immune response caused by a Covid-19 infection or vaccination may be less effective in protecting against The new strain of corona virus Which first appeared in South Africa.

The results come from laboratory experiments looking only at specific elements of the body’s immune response. However, it does reinforce the likelihood that vaccine manufacturers and regulators will need to update Covid-19 vaccines as the virus evolves.

A fourth study, by scientists at BioNTech SE and Pfizer Inc. And the two companies published it, that their vaccine succeeded in neutralizing the alternative that was initially discovered in the United Kingdom, and this study did not include the South African strain.

The British variant is already spreading To many other countries, including the United States

More than a year after the spread of the epidemic, the discovery of new variants that appear to have made the virus more contagious is forcing researchers to adapt their understanding of the Corona virus that causes Covid-19. One of the concerns, the researchers said, is that new strains are emerging in countries where a large proportion of people have already developed an immune response to previous variants after contracting Covid-19.