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“A Wake-Up Call” – AstraZeneca Jab Fails To Prevent Mutated COVID Strain From South Africa
Truly Times ^ | 02/07/2021 | Tyler Durden

Posted on 02/07/2021 11:03:04 AM PST by SeekAndFind

After data was shared last week suggesting that the AstraZeneca-Oxford COVID vaccine is substantially less effective against the new COVID variant first isolated in South Africa, it looks like more questions about the efficacy of the first wave of vaccines are about to be raised, as the FT warns of a new study showing that the AZ vaccine is even less effective against the SA variant than initially believed, and often fails to prevent infections involving the new strain.

According to the FT, although none of the more than 2K, mostly healthy and young patients in the study died or was hospitalized with serious illness, the findings 'could complicate the race to roll out vaccines as new strains emerge."

That's definitely bad news for one of Europe's top vaccines, and it couldn't come at a worse time, as the West finally admits that the Russia-developed vaccine 'Sputnik V' is surprisingly effective.

The strain of the virus that first emerged in SA has been described as "more worrying" than other mutant strains, including the B117 strain first isolated in Kent. And AZ isn't alone in this: Vaccines from JNJ and Novavax were also found to be less effective against the SA strain.

In both the human trials and tests on the blood of those vaccinated, the jab showed significantly reduced efficacy against the 501Y.V2 viral variant, which is dominant in South Africa, according to the randomised, double-blind study seen by the Financial Times. “A two-dose regimen of [the vaccine] did not show protection against mild-moderate Covid-19 due to [the South African variant]”, the study says, adding that efficacy against severe Covid-19, hospitalisations and deaths was not yet determined. While all Covid-19 vaccines so far have largely held up against the B.1.1.7 variant that emerged in the UK, the strain that originated in South Africa has been more worrying. Both Johnson & Johnson and Novavax have said their vaccines were less effective against the strain in clinical trials conducted in South Africa. In trials, both vaccines offered complete protection against severe disease and death in relation to Covid-19.

While the study data is being taken seriously, there are certain caveats, though one scientist who spoke with the FT still described the findings as a "wake-up call".

There are caveats to the Oxford/AstraZeneca study, as the sample sizes were relatively small. The study, led by South Africa’s University of the Witwatersrand and Oxford university, enrolled 2,026 HIV negative individuals, with a median age of 31. Half the group was given at least one dose of placebo, with the other half receiving at least one dose of vaccine. Tulio de Oliveira, who heads the Network for Genomic Surveillance in South Africa, told the Financial Times the findings were a “wake-up call to control the virus and increase the response to Covid-19 in the world”.

With the new study set to publish Monday, another round of media coverage of the vaccine's shortcomings is almost guaranteed. Is this the start of another round of vaccine-related fearmongering to justify more lockdowns in Europe? We'll just need to wait and see.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: astrazeneca; covid19; southafricanstrain; vaccine

1 posted on 02/07/2021 11:03:04 AM PST by SeekAndFind
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To: SeekAndFind

That person is not wearing their mask properly.


2 posted on 02/07/2021 11:09:10 AM PST by metmom (...fixing our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith...)
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To: SeekAndFind

Notice that they said nothing about Pfizer or Moderna vaccines which are the ones that we in the US are using.


3 posted on 02/07/2021 11:24:31 AM PST by Politically Correct (A member of the rabble in good standing)
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To: Politically Correct

Noticed that also.. because rna vaccines miraculously caused the hospitalization rates to plummet as soon as biden put his hand and the oval office doorknob.


4 posted on 02/07/2021 11:41:55 AM PST by momincombatboots (Ephesians 6... who you are really at war with)
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To: SeekAndFind

More fear mongering.

“According to the FT, although none of the more than 2K, mostly healthy and young patients in the study died or was hospitalized with serious illness, the findings ‘could complicate the race to roll out vaccines as new strains emerge.””

No deaths or hospitalization - but it’s worrisome.

I like this part too.

“BOTH JOHNSON & JOHNSON AND NOVAVAX HAVE SAID THEIR VACCINES WERE LESS EFFECTIVE AGAINST THE STRAIN IN CLINICAL TRIALS CONDUCTED IN SOUTH AFRICA.”

Ok.

But the next sentence says:

“IN TRIALS, BOTH VACCINES OFFERED COMPLETE PROTECTION AGAINST SEVERE DISEASE AND DEATH IN RELATION TO COVID-19.”

Oh.


5 posted on 02/07/2021 11:51:37 AM PST by ifinnegan (Democrats kill babies and harvest their organs to sell)
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To: SeekAndFind

Never know what’s actually in these shots people can’t wait to be injected with but one thing is for sure : They All Different.


6 posted on 02/07/2021 11:59:19 AM PST by NWFree (Socialism is legalized plunder)
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To: SeekAndFind

Lockdown the whole Earth now!


7 posted on 02/07/2021 12:29:17 PM PST by EEGator
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To: SeekAndFind

It has become the flu.


8 posted on 02/07/2021 12:47:05 PM PST by tbw2
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To: SeekAndFind

“efficacy against severe Covid-19, hospitalisations and deaths was not yet determined“

When so few people are affected seriously with covid or die, it’s hard to prove efficacy with any statistical significance whatsoever

It’s similar to the flu, bros


9 posted on 02/07/2021 12:52:10 PM PST by ReaganGeneration2
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To: ifinnegan

good catches- so contradictory- They say it fails to protect, yet clearly it did protect against death and serious illness


10 posted on 02/07/2021 12:53:07 PM PST by Bob434
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To: ifinnegan

the article is very confusing. Is it not effective at all, or is it just not as effective as allowing for immunity, but does make the infection less severe? That’s what happens with the flu vaccine sometimes - some strains you aren’t immune to, but the body is more trained to recognize and respond to it making the infection, if you get one, less severe.


11 posted on 02/07/2021 1:03:15 PM PST by Republican Wildcat
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To: metmom

That person is not wearing their mask properly...

As an evaluator in the double blind study, he needs to make sure that it passes the sniff test...


12 posted on 02/07/2021 1:23:38 PM PST by beaware (It's the seriousness of the Charge... and the Intent...)
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To: Bob434
good catches- so contradictory

It's only contradictory if you think about it. That's why the government, big pharma, the media and big tech are doing all the thinking for you.

13 posted on 02/07/2021 1:48:34 PM PST by Turbo Pig (To close with and destroy....)
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To: SeekAndFind

Scary thought, but the jab could easily be causing or facilitating the mutations.


14 posted on 02/07/2021 2:12:00 PM PST by Captain Steve
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To: Captain Steve

“Scary thought, but the jab could easily be causing or facilitating the mutations.”

I would think it’s just the opposite. Viruses mutate when spreading and infecting new hosts. If vaccines reduce the spread and infection rate, mutations should decrease. From a recently published article in Lancet:

“The higher the proportion of a population vaccinated, the lower the number of susceptible individuals, and the fewer opportunities SARS-CoV-2 will have to spread and mutate.”

Source:
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanres/article/PIIS2213-2600(21)00075-8/fulltext


15 posted on 02/07/2021 2:58:48 PM PST by riverdawg (Wells Fargo is my bank and I have no complaints.)
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To: SeekAndFind

Has China released the 4th of its 12 Monkeys?


16 posted on 02/07/2021 4:23:55 PM PST by PTBAA
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To: SeekAndFind

We can’t call it the South African strain...


17 posted on 02/07/2021 5:42:21 PM PST by Does so ( Off-screen female to Biden: "Just sign it"..........Vote for new "SERF Party". )
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To: SeekAndFind

Guess we will just have to remain masked and living in fear forever. It’s the only way the human race will survive.
We’ve become a nation of pussies.


18 posted on 02/07/2021 5:43:31 PM PST by vpintheak (Live free, or die!)
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