Studies shows Covid-19 vaccines are effective against SA variant - medicine specialist

There have been concerns that Covid-19 vaccines might not be effective against South Africa’s new and highly transmissible variant of the coronavirus.

The variant has an additional mutation E484K, that has scientists on edge.

But Begg says the laboratory studies shows that the vaccine appears to work against a key mutation in the variants, although there is a small reduction in efficacy.

“The new variant has raised concerns on whether the vaccines that are being developed will be effective in neutralising the mutation. What is important for people to understand is that even if there is a reduction in the efficacy of the vaccine, the impact of the rollout of the vaccine will have so much greater benefits than worrying about small reduction in efficacy.

“We really need to wait and see but we are fairly reassured that based on the laboratory studies, as the vaccine will be effective, but it may just have a small reduction in efficacy,” says Begg.

Listen to  Dr Kerrin Begg below:

Concerns have also been raised in some quarters, including by some local celebrities and politicians,  about the safety of a vaccine.

Begg says there is no reason to be afraid, as vaccine technology has been used for many years to cure infectious diseases.

“We need to understand that the vaccine technology has been around for over a century and we have been able to eliminate diseases that are dangerous like polio and small pox. So in terms of the massive reduction of these diseases it has been really because of the vaccine and as it develops, it has gone to be safer and safer, so the vaccine  technology is quite safe and people who are familiar with the vaccine technology will be first in the line to take it.

“If we were to wait for immunity to develop from diseases alone, it would cost us many years so the only way that we will get back to some sort of normality, it will be through the vaccine.”

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