Today we’re talking about variant 501Y.V2, also known as B.1.351, also known as the variant that was originally identified in South Africa!
Another variant that has concerned the world as it makes it way from country to country. Why? Because it has key mutations in the spike protein receptor binding domain that could have a large impact on transmission and/or escaping vaccine immunity.
News from Moderna was released just this morning that corroborates data released earlier this month that this variant does in fact have a slightly reduced neutralization when exposed to vaccine antibodies.
BUT this paper highlights that the reduction is still well within “protective range” meaning even at these reduced levels you should be protected from illness. I reference earlier work in this post that goes over what that threshold level may look like for Covid-19.
A caveat is that both in vitro neutralizing antibody studies were completed with pseudotyped viruses carrying the spike protein (either original form or mutated). While this is an accepted virology method, more studies should be done with live SARS-CoV-2 to confirm.
Posted on Instagram on January 25, 2021.