Posted on 01/25/2021 8:34:47 AM PST by SeekAndFind
As two new variants of the coronavirus from the United Kingdom and South Africa threaten to sweep the U.S., Moderna has released a comforting statement to suggest that their FDA approved two-dose vaccine already protects against the new strains.
In trials, the Moderna vaccine did not lose any of its efficacy against the new strains, the company explains in its statement. They will test an additional booster shot of the vaccine to determine if that increases its effectiveness, and will launch preclinical studies of a vaccine booster candidate against the South African strain:
"The two-dose regimen of the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine at the 100 µg dose is expected to be protective against emerging strains detected to date. Nonetheless, Moderna today announced its clinical strategy to proactively address the pandemic as the virus continues to evolve. First, the Company will test an additional booster dose of its COVID-19 Vaccine (mRNA-1273) to study the ability to further increase neutralizing titers against emerging strains beyond the existing primary vaccination series. Second, the Company is advancing an emerging variant booster candidate (mRNA-1273.351) against the B.1.351 variant first identified in the Republic of South Africa. The Company is advancing mRNA-1273.351 into preclinical studies and a Phase 1 study in the U.S. to evaluate the immunological benefit of boosting with strain-specific spike proteins. Moderna expects that its mRNA-based booster vaccine (whether mRNA-1273 or mRNA-1273.351) will be able to further boost neutralizing titers in combination with all of the leading vaccine candidates.
"As we seek to defeat the COVID-19 virus, which has created a worldwide pandemic, we believe it is imperative to be proactive as the virus evolves. We are encouraged by these new data, which reinforce our confidence that the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine should be protective against these newly detected variants,” said Stéphane Bancel, Chief Executive Officer of Moderna. “Out of an abundance of caution and leveraging the flexibility of our mRNA platform, we are advancing an emerging variant booster candidate against the variant first identified in the Republic of South Africa into the clinic to determine if it will be more effective to boost titers against this and potentially future variants."
The UK strain was first detected in the U.S. in September. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned the world that this variant is 30 to 70 percent more transmittable than the first, and far deadlier, according to scientists who advise the British government. Over the weekend President Biden announced that a ban on non-U.S. travelers from the UK, Ireland, and several other European countries, will be enforced on Monday. The South African variant has yet to be discovered in the U.S.
With the pandemic worsening, and more contagious variants emerging around the world, this is not the time to be lifting restrictions on international travel.— Jen Psaki (@jrpsaki) January 19, 2021
The Moderna vaccine was approved by the FDA just a few weeks after the agency approved a vaccine from Pfizer-BioNTech. Millions of Americans have already been vaccinated.
Thanks for the information.
I bet PETA would be livid to know/hear they experimented with monkeys. sarc off
“Only 4 more days left for me to post on FR!
(Moderna vax date: Jan 15)”
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Have you had your family arrange for the viewing yet? ;-)
I would agree that the lockdowns have gone overboard in the lefts successful campaign to kill the economy and thwart Trumps reelection. I also agree there are treatments that should be more readily available. However, 99% survival means 1% dead, and unchecked that would have been millions in the U.S. Also the 99% who lived include some % with lingering effects. The vaccine has proved effective and from what I’ve seen was not “rushed” though some bureaucrats were not able to slow things down while staring at their navels. Testing has been thorough. No one is forced to take the vaccine but thankfully all will have the option to take it under the Emergency Use Authorization. Full approval is still to come and even then you can opt out.
It is interesting that you will complain about treatments that have not been fully vetted and approved not being available while also complaining about a vaccine that has been vetted and approved being available.
“May I ask a stupid question - Once you get the Pfizer vaccine, what is the danger of ALSO getting the vaccines from Moderna *AND/OR* Astrazeneca?”
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Technically unknown. But since you are allowed to get the Pfizer vaccine AFTER actually having had COVID-19 (and thus lots of related COVID-19 antibodies in your body) with no reported complications, the danger is likely very minimal. Just a guess from a non-medical FReeper.
The prophylactic treatments have been stalled deliberately.
No money to be made from them.
Additionally, a vaccine is not like a medicine that you take and it leaves your system. Medicines do not mess with DNA or RNA. It works in a whole different way and is far less likely to have permanent long term side effects
Also, the mortality rate is LESS than 99% for most people.
The thing that killed all the old people was cuomo and his cronies. They deliberately infected the nursing homes.
You want it, fine.
I am not taking it. I don’t trust it or those who are pushing it and will not be shamed into taking it or not objecting to it.
But why even bother with the vaccine once you’ve had the virus?
The vaccine is supposed to confer immunity.
When you get sick with a disease, you become immune, thus the vaccine is redundant.
Useless at best, dangerous at worst.
I’m not a proponent of vaccination after already having had COVID-19. I was simply answering a question and providing some information.
“Why bother with the vaccine after having the illness [and becoming immune to the illness]?
I think the jury’s still out on immunity based on recovery when it comes to the mutations of the virus. The mRNA vaccine provides a broader immunity as it enables the body to attack the spike protein, the spike characteristic which is common to all Covid mutations.
No one should feel “shamed” with respect to their opinion, but we should be willing to have an informative discussion.
“It is expected” and “it does” are possibly two very different things.
Well good. Since I’ve gotten the first of two Moderna, because i want to travel to Ireland. (scheduled &paid for) in the fall. And not going to South Africa, too far.
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