The arrival of vaccines seems that it may be the only way to end the pandemic, currently. Since the beginning of 2021, many countries are proceeding with mass vaccination to immunize most of the population. And they do it, especially in Europe, with the vaccine developed by Pfizer-BioNTech.
The alarms went off when it became known that there were different variants of SARS-CoV-2 developing and expanding in some parts of the planet. In fact, Concern grew over the variants of the virus that appeared in the United Kingdom and South Africa. Of these two, for example, cases have already been confirmed outside of these countries. It is also Spain.
Pfizer’s vaccine neutralizes three variants of the coronavirus
However, according to information collected by the EFE Agency, Pfizer’s vaccine neutralizes three variants of this virus that have appeared in the United Kingdom and South Africa. Of course, the neutralization capacity “was slightly lower” compared to one of those that emerged in the African country.
These variants share the N501Y mutation, while one of the South African variants has the E484K mutation. All are in the Spike protein and “could increase its affinity” for the ACE2 receptor of human cells, which is where the virus accesses them.
This information comes after a study by scientists from the University of Texas (United States), who designed combinations of the mutations found and analyzed sera from 20 participants, obtained between two and four weeks after immunization with two doses spaced 21 days apart. This is a previously published clinical trial of Pfizer’s vaccine.
The researchers found “mutant virus neutralization tests “ in the set of sera, with a “slight variation”, since the neutralization against the E484K mutation “was slightly lower” than against N501Y. Furthermore, the study notes that the N501Y also “It appears to broaden the range of hosts the virus can infect to include mice”, according to a publication of the specialized magazine Nature Medicine.
Follow-up of possible new variants
The authors conclude that the continued evolution of SARS-CoV-2 “It calls for ongoing monitoring of vaccine efficacy for emerging variants.” And, although most experts indicate that SARS-CoV-2 mutations are less frequent than in other viruses, it is an issue that has health authorities and scientists around the world on constant alert.
Pfizer’s vaccine, the first to be administered in Spain
This Pfizer vaccine is the first to be administered in Spain and an estimated 350,000 doses are received every Monday, although that number varies from week to week. It was on December 27, 2020 when Araceli, an inmate of the Los Olmos Residence (Guadalajara), became the first person vaccinated in Spanish territory.