SA Oxford-AstraZeneca study urges development of second-generation vaccines
Vaccines and Infectious Diseases Analytics Research Unit at the University of the Witwatersrand director Professor Shabir Madhi has warned that despite early successes with Covid-19 vaccines, further research is needed for a next generation of Covid-19 vaccines.
Second-generation vaccines are technology and design innovations that can protect against the constantly evolving variants that cause Covid-19 disease.
A South African study on the Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine study has shown that the vaccine does not have at least 60% efficacy against mild-moderate Covid-19 owing to the B.1.351 (N501Y.V2) variant, first identified in South Africa.
However, the World Health Organization has recommended that the vaccine still be used in countries with the new variant as it could still protect against severe infection, hospitalisation and death.
“Despite the disappointing finding that the AstraZeneca vaccine did not protect against mild Covid infection because of the B.1.351, peer review and publication of our research validates the findings and makes a compelling case for the development of second-generation vaccines worldwide,” said Madhi.
The study has been published in the New England Journal of Medicine following peer review.
Madhi said the findings of the study are a turning point in Covid vaccine development – and a rude awakening.
“This one small South African study has alerted the world to the fact that second generation Covid-19 vaccines will be required to provide protection against inevitable and persistent SARS-COV-2 variants. If we had not conducted this trial in South Africa, the world would be none the wiser,” he added.
Comments
Research Reports
Projects
Latest Multimedia
Latest News
Showroom
FlameBlock is a proudly South African company that engineers, manufactures and supplies fire intumescent and retardant products to the fire...
VISIT SHOWROOM
Multotec, recognised industry leaders in metallurgy and process engineering help mining houses across the world process minerals more efficiently,...
VISIT SHOWROOM
Announcements
What's On
Subscribe to improve your user experience...
Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):
Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format
Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):
All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors
including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.
Already a subscriber?
Forgotten your password?
Receive weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine (print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
➕
Recieve daily email newsletters
➕
Access to full search results
➕
Access archive of magazine back copies
➕
Access to Projects in Progress
➕
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format
RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA
R4500 (equivalent of R375 a month)
SUBSCRIBEAll benefits from Option 1
➕
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports on various industrial and mining sectors, in PDF format, including on:
Electricity
➕
Water
➕
Energy Transition
➕
Hydrogen
➕
Roads, Rail and Ports
➕
Coal
➕
Gold
➕
Platinum
➕
Battery Metals
➕
etc.
Receive all benefits from Option 1 or Option 2 delivered to numerous people at your company
➕
Multiple User names and Passwords for simultaneous log-ins
➕
Intranet integration access to all in your organisation
