A study suggests Pfizer vaccine 'works' against key variant mutation

Lab studies have shown the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine can still target a key mutation that has emerged in two new strains of coronavirus.

This is only one of many mutations that are found in the new forms of the virus.

BBC News reports the study by the University of Texas Medical Branch focuses on a mutation called N501Y which as emerged in both new variants.

The study is not being seen as definitive scientific evidence about how the vaccine will perform.

New variants have been detected in the UK and South Africa.

Both forms of the virus are spreading more quickly and this has raised questions over what level of protection vaccines can offer against them.

The widely held view is that vaccines will still work, but researchers are on hunting for proof.

This is thought to be important because it is in the part of the virus that makes the first contact with our body's cells and changes could make it easier to get in and cause an infection.

BBC News reports the researchers created two forms of the virus - one with and one without the mutation - and then bathed those viruses in blood samples taken from 20 patients that had been vaccinated in clinical trials.

The results showed the immune systems of vaccinated patients were able to take out the new mutation.

However, the strain that emerged contain multiple mutations whose combined effects may help the virus evade the immune system.

[Source: BBC]