AstraZeneca vaccine found to be effective against new variant of COVID-19

KATHMANDU, May 24: A British study has concluded the Astrazeneca vaccine to be effective against the new variant of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) disease. According to the BBC, the vaccines developed by American companies like Pfizer, Oxford, and AstraZeneca are found to be effective against the contagious variant B.1.617.2 found in India. A recent genetic study of the virus has found many cases of a similar variant in Nepal as well. 

The study also shows the effectiveness of vaccines against different variants of the virus. Three weeks after the first dose of AstraZeneca and Pfizer, the vaccines provide 33 percent of protection against the new variant. Two weeks after the second dose of AstraZeneca, the vaccine provides 60 percent of protection from the virus and 66 percent from the British variant. Likewise, Pfizer dose is 80 percent effective against the new variant and 93 percent effective for the British variant. 

According to the public health office of Britain, the differences in the effectiveness of the two vaccines could be due to the different timelines they were used in. The AstraZeneca vaccine came into operation a little later than the Pfizer vaccine.

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The study was done in Britain from April 5 till May 16, which included genetic sequences of 12,675 viruses. Among them, 1,054 cases were related to the B.1.617.2. The study was attended by people from all age groups. According to BBC Health Correspondent Nick Triggle, residents of the UK need to immediately receive their second dose of the vaccine due to the low effectiveness of the first dose of AstraZeneca. 

There are also millions of people in Nepal waiting to receive their second dose of AstraZeneca vaccine. The study shows that the people who have received their first dose need to be administered their second dose of vaccine immediately. Study also shows that the effectiveness of the vaccines reaches 33 percent against the variant after three weeks of administering the first dose. 

The study conducted by the Public Health England stated that the vaccination has saved the lives of 13,000 people and has left 39,000 patients hospitalized. 

According to the BBC, some 37 million people in the UK have received their first dose of vaccine while 22 million have already received their second dose as well.