The Pfizer coronavirus vaccine is able to neutralize a rapidly spreading virus variant from Brazil, according to a new laboratory study.
Researchers developed an engineered version of the COVID-19 mutation and found that blood samples taken from people who received the vaccine were able to neutralize the variant, according to the study published in the New England Journal of Medicine on Monday.
The scientists from Pfizer, BioNTech, and the University of Texas Medical Branch said the vaccine was roughly as effective against the Brazilian variant as other less contagious virus versions from last year.
Earlier studies found that the UK and South Africa COVID-19 variants were also neutralized by the Pfizer vaccine.
But the South African variant, according to studies, may diminish protective antibodies induced by the vaccine.
Pfizer said it is planning additional tests on the South African variant.
With Post wires
