Emerging economies’ bloc ditches greenback in $260b worth trade
The Covid-19 vaccine from Pfizer Inc and BioNTech SE was able to neutralise a new variant of the coronavirus spreading rapidly in Brazil, according to a laboratory study published in the New England Journal of Medicine on Monday.
Also read:
Video: Dubai rolls out Covid-19 vaccine clinics on wheels
Ask KT: What you need to do after taking the Covid vaccine
Blood taken from people who had been given the vaccine neutralised an engineered version of the virus that contained the same mutations carried on the spike portion of the highly contagious P.1 variant first identified in Brazil, the study conducted by scientists from the companies and the University of Texas Medical Branch found.
The scientists said the neutralising ability was roughly equivalent the vaccine’s effect on a previous less contagious version of the virus from last year.
The spike, used by the virus to enter human cells, is the primary target of many Covid-19 vaccines.
In previously published studies, Pfizer had found that its vaccine neutralized other more contagious variants first identified in the United Kingdom and South Africa, although the South African variant may reduce protective antibodies elicited by the vaccine.
Pfizer has said it believes its current vaccine is highly likely to still protect against the South African variant. However, the drugmaker is planning to test a third booster dose of their vaccine as well as a version retooled specifically to combat the variant in order to better understand the immune response.
Emerging economies’ bloc ditches greenback in $260b worth trade
National security spokesperson to continue pressing for a temporary ceasefire that Washington wants to last for at least six weeks
It was RCB's third win — and second in a row — in 10 matches so far this season, keeping their slim hopes of reaching the playoffs alive
Offshoring business operations to captive centres has proven to be a cost-effective and efficient strategy
Tourism minister Ahmed Al Khateeb says all the kingdom's projects are far away from the conflict
A wave of exceptionally hot weather has blasted the region over the past week, sending the mercury as high as 45 degrees Celsius
This was following a Reuters report that some senior US officials did not find Israel's assurances credible
Chinese Premier Li Qiang promises to Musk that the country will always be open to foreign firms