Experts from the Department of Health (DOH) is expecting that the new variant of the Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) found in the United Kingdom (UK) will not abruptly affect the efficacy of the current developing COVID-19 vaccine.
DOH Technical Advisory Group Doctor Edsel Savana pointed out that if the new COVID-19 strain will have implications, it will be gradual. The study on the new strain is ongoing and the current number of mutations recorded in the Sars-CoV-2 is around 12,000. However, Savana assured that it is a normal process of viruses.
“Based on the number of mutations, most likely hindi naman. At ‘yung makikita mo riyan kapag nagiging resistant na ‘yung isang virus doon sa vaccine, hindi naman biglang zero. Makikita mo from 95, so ‘yung sa Pfizer magiging 85, magiging 70. So gradual process ‘yan. So may time tayo para pag-aralan. (Based on the number of mutations, most likely it will not affect [the efficacy of the vaccine]. You can see that if a virus is becoming resistant against the vaccine, it will not abruptly drop to zero. You can observe from 95, so the Pfizer will become 85, then 70. So it is a gradual process. We have time to look into it).” Savana bared.
Moreover, Savana stated that despite the virus not being severe, preparation is still needed. Health protocols and protection of the public must be ensured to fend off the new strain.
DOH Sec. Duque affirmed Savana’s reiteration of the importance of the public’s compliance with the government’s directives to stay safe.
“Ganoon din ‘yan noong nagkaroon tayo ng mutation to D614G. That was also a much faster transmissibility, but the virulence mukhang neutral. Hindi siya nagbago so hopefully that trend will continue but it still warrants carefulness on our part. (It’s like the time we had a mutation to D614G. That was also a much faster transmissibility, but the virulence looks neutral. It didn’t change so hopefully that trend will continue but it still warrants carefulness on our part).” – PTV News
