AstraZeneca Says an Updated COVID-19 Vaccine May Take at Least 6 Months.
The Anglo-Swedish drugmaker said that production of a vaccine able to effectively combat new COVID-19 variants could take at least six months.
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[AstraZeneca] hopes to reduce the time needed to reach production at scale to between six to nine months, by utilizing existing clinical data and optimizing its established supply chain, AstraZeneca, via ‘The Hill’.
So far, the AstraZeneca vaccine has been praised for its cheap production costs and manageable storage requirements.
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However, a recent report revealed that it only offered “minimal protection” against the more contagious COVID-19 variant that was first discovered in South Africa.
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The country has since halted the administration of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine.
The World Health Organization (WHO) still recommends that the vaccine is used, even in countries where the South Africa variant is present.
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Even if there is a reduction in the possibility of these vaccines having a full impact in its protection capacity especially against severe disease, there is no reason not to recommend its use even in countries that have the circulation of the variants, WHO Chairman Alejandro Cravioto, via ‘The Hill’
