New Variants of COVID-19 Less Alarming Than Feared, Pfizer and Moderna Say
Sept 7 (Reuters) – New data from scientists and vaccine makers Moderna (MRNA.O) and Pfizer (PFE.N)/BioNTech (22UAy.DE) suggests that a newer, highly mutated variant of the virus that causes COVID-19 is not as alarming as some experts had feared when it was first detected several weeks ago.
Dubbed the BA.2.86 Omicron subvariant, this variant, also known as “Pirola” on social media, is being monitored by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Despite rising COVID infections and hospitalizations in the U.S., Europe, and Asia, the rate is well below the previous peaks. The weekly U.S. hospitalization growth rate has actually slowed for three consecutive weeks in August, according to CDC data.
As of Aug. 30, the BA.2.86 variant has been detected in at least four U.S. states and several countries. However, the CDC data shows that the EG.5 subvariant, a descendant of the Omicron lineage known as “Eris,” currently accounts for about a fifth of current U.S. COVID cases.
The FL.1.5.1 variant, nicknamed “Fornax,” is the second largest at 14.5% of U.S. infections, with a growing presence on the East Coast. Other smaller variants make up the remaining cases.
Dr. David Dowdy, an infectious disease epidemiologist at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, believes that the FL.1.5.1 variant will become the predominant COVID variant in the coming months. However, he does not expect an infection wave similar to the one caused by Omicron last winter.
Dowdy suggests that the surge in current cases may be due to immunity from vaccination and previous infections waning since the last surge.
Scientists have been closely monitoring the BA.2.86 variant due to its more than 35 mutations in key portions of the virus compared to the previously dominant XBB.1.5 variant. Initial concerns arose that this new variant could cause a major surge in cases.
However, experiments conducted in two U.S. independent laboratories suggest that this is unlikely. Lab-made versions of the virus tested in vaccinated individuals or those previously infected showed comparable or slightly higher levels of antibodies against the BA.2.86 variant compared to current circulating variants. Similar findings were also observed in studies conducted by other international research teams.
Furthermore, the updated vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer have shown promising results against the BA.2.86 and EG.5 variants. Moderna indicated that its retooled COVID vaccine generated nearly a 9-fold increase in human antibodies to neutralize the BA.2.86 variant. Pfizer’s updated COVID shot also demonstrated neutralizing activity against the BA.2.86 and EG.5 variants in studies on mice.
The updated vaccines are currently under review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and are expected to be available this month.
In conclusion, the new variants of COVID-19, including the BA.2.86 variant, appear to be less alarming than initially feared. The current surge in cases may be attributed to waning immunity, and the updated vaccines are expected to provide protection against these variants.