Vaccine ‘works on mutations’

THE Moderna coronavirus vaccine, due to arrive in the UK in the spring, is effective against all emerging mutations of the virus that have been detected to date, the company has announced.

This includes the new strain first detected in south east England that scientists say is more transmissible than the previous variant, and may be more deadly.

Moderna said laboratory tests found that vaccination with its jab produced neutralising antibodies against all key emerging variants, including the South African mutation.

The study showed no significant impact on antibodies against the UK variant relative to prior variants.

While there was a six-fold reduction in neutralising antibodies produced against the South African variant, the levels remained above those that are expected to be protective, Moderna said.

The UK Government has purchased 17 million doses of the Moderna vaccine - enough to vaccinate 8.5 million people, but the first doses are not expected to arrive in the country until the spring.