Lab tests have found that the Pfizer vaccine is likely to protect against the new mutant strain of Coivd-19 that is spreading across the UK.
Last week, Pfizer said that a laboratory study found that the vaccine was effective against the N501Y mutation, which is found in the new, more transmissible variants that have spread across the UK and South Africa.
This new study however is based on more extensive analysis and uses the blood of participants in trials. While it has not been peer-reviewed, the study was conducted on 10 different mutations, including the B117 variant that has been active in Britain.
It had previously been claimed by Israeli authorities that the Pfizer vaccine could have an efficiency as low as 3% from the first dose.
However, UK Government’s chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance said that studies have suggested that from 10 days after reåceiving the jab, it was “much more like 89%”.
“It probably won’t be as high as that in practice, but I don’t think it’ll be as low as the figures you’ve just given.”
The Pfizer vaccine was approved for use in the UK in December 2020. More than four million people have now received a first dose of Covid-19 vaccination.
On Tuesday, it was announced that the UK has had its deadliest ay of the pandemic, with 1,610 people having died after testing positive for coronavirus. Britain also has the highest fatality rate in the world.
