Regarding the mutant virus of the new coronavirus that spread in Brazil, a group such as the University of Tokyo announced the experimental result that the vaccine made by Pfizer can be expected to be effective against this mutant virus.

This research was published in an American scientific journal by a group of specially appointed professors Yoshihiro Kawaoka of the Institute of Medical Science, the University of Tokyo.



The group investigated whether hamsters that had previously been infected with the conventional coronavirus could be re-infected by administering a "gamma strain" of the mutant virus that spread in Brazil.



As a result, a small amount of virus was detected in the nose on the 3rd day, but not on the 6th day.



On the other hand, in hamsters that had never been infected, the virus was detected even 6 days after administration.



In addition, in an experiment to investigate how effective the antibody contained in the blood of a person vaccinated with Pfizer's vaccine is against this mutant virus, it was confirmed that the effect was almost the same as that of the conventional virus. It means that it was done.



The group said that important information was obtained in assessing the risk of this mutant virus, and Professor Kawaoka confirmed that "the vaccine can be expected to be effective against the'gamma strain'that has spread in Brazil. However, I would like you to take basic infection control measures against mutant viruses as well. "