The efficacy of coronavirus vaccines will decrease significantly with the emergence of the new Omicron variant, Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel has said
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 30th November, 2021) The efficacy of coronavirus vaccines will decrease significantly with the emergence of the new Omicron variant, Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel has said.
"I think it's going to be a material drop (of effectiveness). I just don't know how much because we need to wait for the data. But all the scientists I've talked to ... are like 'this is not going to be good,'" Bancel said in an interview with Financial Times, published on Tuesday.
According to the Moderna chief, the high number of spike protein mutations along with the variant's quick spread in South Africa may warrant modification for the current vaccines line-up next year. The business executive added that most experts were not expecting such a highly-mutated strain for a year or two and that scientists were concerned about Omicron's 32 mutations.
Last week, the World Health Organization (WHO) identified the new strain as one of concern, as its high number of mutations possibly make it more transmissible and dangerous. The WHO has dubbed it Omicron, the 15th letter of the Greek alphabet.
