The UK's vaccine experts are 'optimistic' the current jabs will work against new variants of the coronavirus.
Professor Adam Finn, from the University of Bristol and a member of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), said scientists are “optimistic” that the Covid-19 vaccines will still prevent severe disease when tested against new variants.
And all the vaccine manufacturers are working on preliminary steps to revise their jabs, he added.
He told BBC Breakfast: “At the moment, the evidence we have suggests that certainly the South African variant, and potentially this Brazilian variant – which is somewhat similar – the vaccines that we have at the moment are less effective at reducing at least mild disease and possibly transmission.
“We’re optimistic that the vaccines will continue to prevent severe disease but the evidence for that is still fairly limited.
“I think all the manufacturers are now working on the preliminary steps, if you like, to revising the vaccines if that proves necessary.
“But for the moment the vaccines that we’re using are very effective against the strains that are predominantly circulating in the UK and it’s important that people understand that that’s still the case because we do need people to get immunised as fast as possible to get things under control.”
Six cases of the Braxzilian variant were found in the Uk over the weekend - with testing now being rolled out in Scotland and South Gloucestshire.
Public Health England is trying to track down one person who has tested posiyive for the Manaus strain but has not been identified.
