Existing vaccines may protect against the Brazilian variant of the coronavirus, according to an Oxford University study.
The data showed a nearly three-fold reduction in the level of virus neturalisation by antibodies generated by the vaccines for the P.1 Brazil variant — similar to the reduction seen with the variant first identified in Kent, Britain.
Andrew Pollard, chief investigator of the Oxford University vaccine trial, said the study provided “new insights that help us be prepared to respond to further challenges to our health from the pandemic virus, if we need to do so.”
The study had not been peer-reviewed and was released on a pre-print server.
