Dr. Moncef Slaoui expressed hopeful news about the coronavirus vaccine’s strength, even against the new variant spreading in southern England.
Slaoui, head of Operation Warp Speed’s coronavirus vaccine program, told CNN’s Jake Tapper on Sunday that it’s unlikely the new variant would be resistant to the vaccines being developed. The Pfizer vaccine began distribution in the United States last week.
“As of now, I don’t think there has been a single variant that would be resistant to the vaccine,” Slaoui said. “We can’t exclude it, but it’s not there now. This particular variant in the U.K., I think, is very unlikely to have escaped the vaccine immunity.”
German Health Minister Jens Spahn echoed the sentiment about vaccine strength, saying he believes the vaccines will be effective against the new virus strain, according to AFP.
Largely concentrated in the United Kingdom, the new strain has prompted several countries within the European Union to halt flights to and from the nation. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson tightened restrictions in London and its surrounding areas after revelations of the new variant came to light.
Federal officials suggest the vaccine could be distributed to the U.S. general public by April. Its distribution has begun going out to healthcare workers across the country. The elderly population in care homes is next in line as a high-priority group.
Worldwide, COVID-19 has infected more than 75 million people and killed over 1.5 million.
