[Thread] 1. NEW Early data (not yet peer reviewed) shows the #AstraZeneca #CovidVaccine, that SA will start to administer this month, doesn't appear to offer protection against mild/moderate disease caused by the #501YV2 variant identified in the country. https://bit.ly/3pZ30xx 

2. Mild disease #COVID19 disease was defined as at least one symptom of COVID-19. Protection against moderate-severe COVID19, hospitalisation or death was not assessed in this study as the target population were at low risk (they were young and healthy - on average 31 years old).

3. The study results, which will be submitted as a preprint in the coming days, show two doses of the #AstraZeneca jab did have high efficacy against the original coronavirus non- #501YV2 variants in South Africa. https://bit.ly/3pZ30xx 

4. Results for the Johnson & Johnson jab showed relatively low protection (57%) against the #501YV2 variant for moderate to severe #COVID19. But for severe #COVID19 the protection was very good (85%) and the same as for other variants. https://bit.ly/36MNr4b 

5. SA trial investigator for the #AstraZeneca jab, Shabir Madhi, says the J&J results (protection @ severe #COVID19 caused by the the #501YV2 variant), gives hope that similar results could be obtained for the AstraZeneca jab, because the 2 shots use similar technology.

6. Work is already underway at the University of Oxford ( #AstraZeneca’s research partner) to produce a 2nd generation of the AstraZeneca jab, adapted to target variants of the #coronavirus with mutations similar to the #501YV2, should it be needed. https://bit.ly/3pZ30xx