The UK gets ready for more dangerous CoViD Mutations
The British Government is anticipating the Coronavirus virus will mutate on a regular basis, similar to the ’flu virus.
Oxford University are continuing their partnership with Astra Zeneca to develop CoViD vaccinations for mutant strains that may become resistant to current vaccines. The Oxford-Astra Zeneca vaccine works by delivering the virus's genetic instructions for building the coronavirus’s spike protein into a human cell. When human cells manufacture the spike protein it causes an immune response that will protect vaccinated people getting ill when they encounter the real virus. The Oxford-Astra Zeneca jab uses DNA to deliver the genetic code. This partnership is expecting to produce their "CoViD v.2.0" vaccine in the Autumn.
To further combat this possibility of serious mutations, the UK has created a new partnership with the German manufacturer CureVac. Their vaccines work in a similar way to the Oxford-Astra Zeneca vaccine, but instead they use messenger RNA (mRNA) technology to deliver the genetic code for making the spike protein. This is part of the UK strategy to ensure there is a variety of different technologies available to combat future mutant strains to spread the risk of failure.
An initial order of 50 million doses has been placed for the new CureVac jabs, which will be manufactured in the UK. They are expected to be delivered in the Autumn “if they are required”. This is in addition to existing 407 million doses of CoViD vaccines the UK has secured to date. An expert advisory group has been created to anticipate the new mutants that the UK could need to vaccinate against.
Interim Chair of the Vaccines Taskforce Clive Dix said, “Today’s agreement will mean the UK is better prepared for the emergence of any significant new virus variant. Because these mRNA vaccines can be rapidly adapted we will be ready to respond swiftly to new strains and update vaccines in the same way the flu vaccine is updated each year – a vital part of ending the pandemic once and for all."
Similar expertise across the UK has attracted a partnership with the American Novavax vaccine. In return for UK support they agreed to put their manufacturing site in England and will provide 60 million doses to the UK's National Heath Service (NHS) if their candidate vaccine is successful. On 28th January it was announced that this vaccine has been proven to be highly effective and could get regulatory approval soon.
A French company, Valneva, has started manufacturing its vaccine in Scotland despite their vaccine also not yet having regulatory approval. The NHS is due to receive 60 million doses by the end of the year, with the option of another 130 million over the following three years.
British Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: “We must be prepared for all eventualities and bolster onshore UK manufacturing capacity to develop vaccines to combat new variants of the disease, taking advantage of our world-leading genomics expertise. This will help ensure we can continue to provide everyone with a high level of protection against the virus and save lives.”
One in five adults have already been vaccinated against CoViD in the UK, with 16.5% of all citizens protected against serious disease. This compares with 3.6% in Germany and only 2.7% in France. The British Government expects to meet its target of vaccinating the top four priority groups by mid-February. More than 90 per cent of people over the age of 75 and over half of all over-70s have received a first does of a vaccine. At this rate all adults in the UK will be vaccinated by June 2021.
The UK is well placed to protect its citizens and the world, should more deadly CoViD variants emerge that are resistant to current vaccines. An annual CoViD vaccine would complement the NHS's annual ‘flu vaccine programme, raising the likelihood of all UK citizens getting a third CoViD vaccine in the Autumn.
https://ourworldindata.org/covid-vaccinations