The joint makers of the widely used Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine are assessing how effective their jab is against the new Covid-19 variant recently discovered in South Africa, APA reports citing BBC.
"We understand the concern of experts and have immediately initiated investigations on variant B.1.1.529," Reuters quotes BioNTech as saying.
The German company will have more insight in two weeks time at the latest, when it receives further data from laboratory tests, according to Reuters.
The firm said the variant "may require an adjustment of our vaccine" if it spreads globally and is found to be capable of escaping immunity.
On assessment of the B.1.1.529 variant, scientists have found it to be the most heavily mutated version of Covid-19 discovered so far.
World leaders have reacted with concern, with several limiting travel from the southern African region.
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