Pfizer vaccine protects against new variants, research claims

Director of nursing at Killarney Community Hospital Máire Flynn after receiving the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine last Thursday morning. Picture: Don MacMonagle

The Covid-19 vaccine from Pfizer and BioNTech does protect against the two new mutant variants, at least one of which has contributed to the increase in cases here, according to new research.

The pharmaceutical giant and researchers from the University of Texas carried out lab tests on the strains, one of which was found in the UK while the other originated in South Africa.

The variants contain mutations including N501Y, an alteration in spike protein of the virus, which is a target for vaccines.

In the new study, which has not yet been peer-reviewed, blood samples were taken from 20 people who received the Pfizer vaccine.

Laboratory studies found that the samples had neutralising levels of antibodies that worked against the new strains.

Images of people across Ireland receiving the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine brought a ray of hope in an otherwise grim week. pic.twitter.com/WX5uBVdYM1

— RTÉ News (@rtenews) January 8, 2021

Nphet Epidemiological Modelling Group's Professor Philip Nolan said this week that the new variant does seem to have had a role in accelerating the number of cases here.

The HSE confirmed on Thursday that 15,314 first doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine have already been given across nursing homes and hospitals here. The target for week’s end is 35,000.

Based on the current vaccine supply, the HSE expects to vaccinate 135,000 people from these sectors by the end of February. 

This will increase when other vaccines come on stream, including the Moderna vaccine, which was approved this week by the European Medicines Agency, and the vaccine from AstraZeneca which, it is hoped, will be approved by the end of the month.